The Final Answer [1st round vs Orlando Magic]

[Absynthe]

Hey! My second attempt at an association, hoping to stick with it this time. My association will be revolving around the premise of Allen Iverson's second and most likely final stint with the Sixers. Although what happened in real life wasn't an ideal ending to AI's illustrious NBA career (not ruling out a comeback though ), I will try to give AI a more fitting exit, hopefully with a ring this time. My PC's prehistoric, and so I will be doing this in a much more inferior platform, the PSP.

I will be playing with NBA 2k10, with rosters accurate as of opening night of the 2009-2010 NBA season, Iverson was a free agent, LeBron was still with the Cavs, Amare with the Suns, the Lakers looking for a repeat, etc.

The Final Answer: A Philadelphia 76ers Association



Association Settings:

Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Game: NBA 2k10 (PSP)
Rosters: Opening night 2009-10 NBA season
Season: 29 games (no sims)
Quarter Length: 8 minutes
Sim Length: 10 minutes


Schedule and Results(W 16 - L 13):
Nov 3 @ Boston Celtics (W 85 - 83 / Marreese Speights 19 pts)
Nov 12 vs Indiana Pacers (L 87 - 95 / Allen Iverson 16 pts)
Nov 26 vs Washington Wizards (W 90 - 67 / Allen Iverson 30 pts)
Nov 27 @ Orlando Magic (W 78 - 74 / Allen Iverson 18 pts)

Dec 1 @ San Antonio Spurs (L 74 - 86 / Andre Iguodala 18 pts)
Dec 3 vs Memphis Grizzlies (L 83 - 92 / Jrue Holiday 19 pts)
Dec 4 @ Houston Rockets (L 98 - 105 / Andre Iguodala 23 pts)
Dec 12 vs Milwaukee Bucks (W 99 - 61 / Thaddeus Young 17 pts)
Dec 14 vs Denver Nuggets (L 94 - 99 / Andre Iguodala 22 pts)
Dec 17 vs New York Knicks (W 102 - 82 / Allen Iverson 29 pts)
Dec 28 @ Oklahoma City Thunder (W 89 - 65 / Allen Iverson 20 pts)

Jan 3 @ Golden State Warriors (W 90 - 69 / Thaddeus Young & Andre Iguodala 14 pts)
Jan 5 @ Utah Jazz (W 97 - 91 / Marreese Speights 21 pts)
Jan 7 @ Minnesota Timberwolves (W 81 - 78 / Andre Iguodala 22 pts)
Jan 10 vs Portland Trailblazers (L 86 - 95 / Allen Iverson 17 pts)
Jan 14 vs Toronto Raptors(L 89 - 99 / Andre Iguodala 22 pts)
Jan 17 vs New Orleans Hornets (L 96 - 100 / Allen Iverson 21 pts)
Jan 29 @ Dallas Mavericks (L 72 - 97 / Elton Brand 14 pts)

Feb 6 vs Los Angeles Clippers (W 81 - 76 / Marreese Speights 20 points)
Feb 7 vs New Jersey Nets (L 80 - 94 / Lou Williams & Allen Iverson 15 points)
Feb 26 vs Sacramento Kings (W 95 - 93 (OT) / Thaddeus Young & Allen Iverson 17 pts)

Mar 5 @ Atlanta Hawks (W 86 - 74 / Elton Brand 20 pts)
Mar 18 @ Cleveland Cavaliers (W 86 - 83 / Elton Brand 17 pts)
Mar 19 vs Chicago Bulls(W 79 - 75 / Elton Brand 17 pts)
Mar 23 vs Detroit Pistons (L 78 - 87 / Elton Brand 18 pts)
Mar 27 @ Los Angeles Lakers (L 79 - 82 / Thaddeus Young 18 pts)
Mar 30 @ Phoenix Suns (L 80 - 98 / Allen Iverson 17 pts)

Apr 6 vs Charlotte Bobcats (W 70 - 60 / Allen Iverson 18 pts)
Apr 14 vs Miami Heat (W 102 - 89 / Andre Iguodala - 21 pts)

News:
*** Sixers, Iverson agreed to 1-year deal.
*** Allen Iverson named East Player of the Week for November 22-29
*** Injury bug bites 76ers big men; Brand out for 40 days, Smith done for the season.
*** Jrue Holiday named December East Rookie of the Month
*** 76ers on the Lookout for a Center
*** 76ers Acquires Nazr Mohammed, Toney Douglas in separate deals.
*** Elton Brand Leads 76ers Resurgence
*** Thaddeus Young named Sixth Man of the Year.
*** Jrue Holiday named among All-Rookie Second Team

2010 PLAYOFFS

EAST:

(1) vs (8)
(2) vs (7)
(3) vs (6)
(4) vs (5)


WEST:

(1) vs (8)

(2) vs (7)

(3) vs (6)

(4) vs (5)

Team Leaders:
Points:
Allen Iverson - 15.4 ppg
Andre Iguodala - 13.0 ppg
Thaddeus Young - 12.5 ppg
Elton Brand - 11.1 ppg

Rebounds:
Marreese Speights - 5.3 rpg
Elton Brand - 4.7 rpg

Assists:
Allen Iverson - 4.4 apg
Andre Iguodala - 4.3 apg

Steals:
Andre Iguodala - 2.3 spg

Blocks:
Elton Brand - 1.0 bpg

Team Highs:
Points- A. Iverson (30 vs Washington 11/26/2009)
Rebounds - M. Speights (12 vs Bulls 03/19/2010)
Assists - A. Iverson (10 vs Washington 03/30/2010)
Steals - A. Iverson (5 twice)
Blocks - M. Speights (5 vs Thunder 12/28/2009)
Field goals made - A. Iverson (14 vs Washington 11/26/2009)
3 pts FG made - A. Iverson (3 vs Orlando 11/27/2009)

[Absynthe]

Roster:



PG / Toney Douglas / 6' 2
SG / Allen Iverson / 6' 0
SF / Andre Iguodala / 6' 6
PF / Elton Brand / 6' 9
C / Nazr Mohammed / 6' 10


Bench:



F / Thaddeus Young / 6' 8
G / Lou Williams / 6' 2
F / Marreese Speights / 6' 10
G / Jrue Holiday / 6' 4
G / Kyle Weaver / 6' 6
F / DJ White / 6' 9
F / Stephen Graham / 6' 6

Reserve:



G / Royal Ivey / 6' 4

Injured List:



C / Jason Smith / 7' 0

[Absynthe]

The Answer is back, but at what cost?

In this game, Iverson was a free agent and demands at least a 5.69M contract for him sign to a team, unlike what happened in real life where AI agreed to return to Philly on a veteran's minimum. The 76ers here are over 10 million over the salary cap, so signing Iverson will not be easy. Well, I could just place Iverson in the 76ers roster right before I start the association and not have a problem with the salary cap, but I would like to have a little challenge and as well as test my GM skills , so the challenge will be to free up about 15 M of cap space and have cap room for Iverson.

My top 3 highest paid players are Elton Brand (15.59M), Samuel Dalembert (13.75M), and Andre Iguodala (12.81M). I figured out that I need to let go of one of them to free up some considerable cap space. Not only that, I have to find a trading partner who's willing (and has cap room) to absorb a huge contract while giving up little in return (in terms of salary). Not easy, since most of the teams are also over the cap.

Enter the OKC Thunder. They have space to absorb Sammy's contract, and they need a good center to compliment their young studs. I was able to come up with the following trade:


Samuel Dalembert

for


Byron Mullens, DJ White, Kyle Weaver

I lost a quality center, but I freed up a good amount of cap space. The trio of Mullens, White, and Weaver combined for only about 3M in salary, so basically, I saved 10 million! Goodbye Sammy.

I still have to free about 5 M of cap space though, and as I browse through my players, I figure out that Jason Kapono and his 6.85 M contract will be the next to go. After surveying half the league, I was able to come up with a trading partner in Portland, who gave me Juwan Howard and his minimum league salary of 840K. The move essentially gave me the cap space I need to sign AI.


Jason Kapono

for


Juwan Howard

I lost a shooter, but gained a veteran big man who should help fill the hole created by Dalembert's departure.

And so, this leads us to....

Sixers, Iverson agreed to 1-year deal.


An emotional Iverson addressed the media.

The Philadelphia 76ers have signed guard Allen Iverson to a 1-year deal worth 5.59 million.

"He's like a rock star," team president Ed Stefanski said.

And he's back for his encore.

Asked what Iverson could bring to the Sixers at this stage of his career, 76ers coach Eddie Jordan said: "An aggressive scoring mentality. A guy that could take over games. ... He's a guy that's been to the top, a guy that's been to the Finals, a guy that would be an extra weapon on the floor for us."

[Nutellar]

Wish you good luck from my side !

Nice moves to free some space for Iverson. I hope you will have success

[Absynthe]

[Game 1] Sixers 85 - Celtics 83



Game Recap: Just like the old times.

Allen Iverson hit a 17-footer from the left corner at the buzzer as the Philadelphia 76ers barely defeat the Boston Celtics, 85-83.

Iverson scored 10 points, and added 5 boards and 5 dimes in his first game back with the Sixers. Marreese Speights scored 19 points and grabbed 6 rebounds off the bench while Andre Iguodala had a good all-around game and finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists.

The Sixers were trailing almost the whole game, with the Celtics jumping out to an early double digit lead early in the first quarter. Ray Allen outscored the entire 76ers at one point, 13-11. The Sixers' bench, led by Speights and Lou Williams, brought Philadelphia closer in the second quarter. The Sixers continued to trail though until Iguodala's jumper tied the game in the 4th quarter, 77-77.

Another jumper by Iguodala finally gave the Sixers the lead, 81-79, with less than 2 minutes left. Kevin Garnett answered with 2 free throws to tie the game once again. Iguodala then stole the ball from Rajon Rondo and his fastbreak dunk gave the Sixers the lead anew, 83-81, with 8.8 seconds remaining. Paul Pierce attacked and scored on a lay-up to tie the game at 83 with 1.2 seconds left. After a timeout, the Sixers inbounded the ball to Iverson who drained the game-winning shot.

Iverson struggled early on, missing his first 6 shots and finished 4/15 from the field. But he delivered the most important basket. Allen scored 25 points for the Celtics, while Rondo finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

Top Performers:
Marreese Speights - 19 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts.
Andre Iguodala - 14 pts, 6 asts.
Lou Williams - 12 pts, 5 asts.

Ray Allen - 25 pts, 3/6 3 pts.
Rajon Rondo - 18 pts, 7 rebs, 4 asts.
Kevin Garnett - 10 pts, 10 rebs.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 18 / 28 / 24 / 25 - 85
Celtics - 24/ 22 / 20 /17 - 83

[Nutellar]

Grats for a nice start into the season and Iverson hitting the game winner.

[rise]

I like this, as I used to be a big AI fan in the early 2000s (when I was like 10) .

[Bucket]

PSP? What it is?
Old AI is back

[Absynthe]

Thanks guys!! Nice to still see some AI love.

Anyways, lost my 2nd game. AI had a nice game though.

[Game 2] Pacers 95 - Sixers 87



Game Recap: Danny Granger scored 21 points in the 1st half, including going 5/5 from 3, to lead the Indiana Pacers over the Philadelphia 76ers, 95-87.

Granger finished the game with 26 points, Troy Murphy added 15 points and 10 rebounds while reserve Mike Dunleavy scored 18 for the Pacers. Although the game was close all throughout, Indiana's strong outside shooting held back the 76ers. The Pacers went 9/18 from downtown (5 by Granger) and shot a blistering 58% from the field.

Philadelphia's backcourt duo of Allen Iverson and Jrue Holiday kept the 76ers in the game but couldn't overcome the Pacers' hot shooting night. Iverson top scored with 16 points and had 4 assists and 5 steals. Holiday had 15 points on 7/12 shooting. Marreese Speights had another strong outing off the bench as he contributed 15 points and 5 boards.

Top Performers:
Allen Iverson - 16 points, 4 asts, 5 stls.
Marreese Speights - 15 pts, 5 rebs.
Andre Iguodala - 14 pts, 7 rebs, 2 asts.

Danny Granger - 26 pts, 4 rebs, 5/5 3 pts.
Troy Murphy 15 pts, 10 rebs.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 19 / 27 / 22 / 19 - 87
Pacers - 26 / 27 / 18 / 24 - 95

[Cruzerr]

AI is a menace. Tough loss against the Pacers, but with the game of Granger, it is not surprising.

[Absynthe]

Game 3: Sixers 90 - Wizards 67



Game Recap: Allen Iverson scored 30 points on 14/23 shooting as the Philadelphia 76ers rout the Washington Wizards, 90-67.

Thaddeus Young added 22 points and 5 rebounds off the bench to help the 76ers win its second game in 3 tries. The 76ers started slow in its first 2 games but raced to a strong start this time and led 15-5 halfway in the 1st. The Wizards managed to crept closer in the 2nd quarter but the 76ers pulled away again thanks largely to 10 2nd quarter points by Young.

Iverson had 15 points in the 1st half, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give the 76ers a 44-29 lead going to the break. The Wizards started strong in the 3rd quarter and was able to cut the lead to 8, 38-46 halfway in the 3rd but Iverson scored 7 straight points and the 76ers pulled away for good.

Gilbert Arenas had a tough shooting night and scored 9 points on 4/17 shooting. He did have 10 assists. Antawn Jamison was the only Wizard to score in double figures as he finished with 18 markers.

Top Performers:
Allen Iverson - 30 pts, 4 asts, 14/23 FGs.
Thaddeus Young - 22 pts , 5 rebs, 3 blks, 3 stls.
Lou Williams - 9 pts, 6 asts.

Antawn Jamison - 18 pts, 8 rebs.
Caron Butler - 8 pts, 14 rebs.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 24 / 20 / 23 / 23 - 90
Wizards - 18 / 11 / 22 / 16 - 67

Game 4: Sixers 78 - Magic 74



Game Recap: For a moment, it felt like an early 2000's game. Allen Iverson and Vince Carter seemingly turned back the hands of time as they engaged in a shootout.

In the end, the Answer prevailed.

Iverson scored 25 points and shot 3/3 from downtown as the Sixers defeat the Orlando Magic in a tightly-contested match-up. Carter top-scored Orlando with 20 points and also had 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

Orlando had a good start and led 19 - 12 after the first quarter. Philadelphia was able to turn the game around in the 2nd quarter led by its bench, Marreese Speights, Lou Williams, and Thaddeus Young. For the 2nd straight game, Iverson hits a buzzer-beating 3 at halftime as Sixers captured the lead, 36 - 34 going into the third.

Dwight Howard was saddled with foul trouble and never got into a rhythm. He picked up his 4th foul early in the 3rd and had to sit the rest of the quarter. When he came back to start the fourth quarter, he quickly got his 5th foul and had to sit again. He finished with 7 points and 9 rebounds.

Andre Iguodala's steal and fastbreak gave the 76ers a 73 - 69 lead with over 2 minutes left in the game. A jumper by Iverson pushed the lead to 6, 75 - 69. Mickael Pietrus' 3 brought the Magic closer, 77 - 74 but Orlando failed to execute in the final seconds. An Iverson free throw sealed the game.

Philadelphia improved to 3 - 1 while Orlando fell to 4 - 2.

Top Performers:
Allen Iverson - 25 pts, 3 asts, 3 stls, 3/3 3 pts.
Andre Iguodala - 9 pts, 7 rebs.
Marreese Speights - 11 pts.

Vince Carter - 20 pts, 8 rebs, 4 asts.
Jameer Nelson - 12 pts, 6 asts.
Mickael Pietrus - 13 pts, 6 rebs.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 12 / 24 / 18 / 24 - 78
Magic - 19 / 15 / 22 / 18 - 74

[Absynthe]

Allen Iverson named East Player of the Week for November 22-29


After leading the 76ers to 2 wins in the past week, guard Allen Iverson has been named East Player of the Week. Iverson averaged 27.5 points as he led the 76ers in wins over the Wizards, 90 - 67, and a thriller against the Magic, 78 - 74. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers was named West Player of the Week.

Around the League:

November Players of the Month: East - Dwyane Wade (Heat) West - Kevin Durant (Thunder)

November Rookies of the Month: East - Terrence Williams (Nets) West - Tyreke Evans (Kings)

[Absynthe]

[Game 5] Spurs 86 - Sixers 74



Game Recap: The Philadelphia 76ers struggled to find an offensive rhythm as they fell to the San Antonio Spurs, 86 - 74.

Manu Ginobili scored 22 points and Tim Duncan had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs. Andre Iguodala led the Sixers with 18 points and 8 rebounds.

"When you play against a great defensive team like the Spurs, you've got to make your shots. Unfortunately, we didn't." 76ers coach Eddie Jordan said after the loss.

The 76ers shot only 39% from the field including 0/5 from downtown. The Spurs led 46 - 33 at the half with Duncan scoring 13 points and grabbing 8 boards. The 76ers started the third quarter well and was able to close in, 48 -42. The Spurs answered with a 9-0 run which gave them a 15 point lead. They were never threatened the rest of the way. Allen Iverson sat the entire fourth quarter with the game all but decided. Iverson was limited to 11 points on 5/17 shooting.

Best Performers:
Andre Iguodala - 18 pts, 8 rebs, 3 asts.
Thaddeus Young - 10 pts, 5 rebs.

Manu Ginobili - 22 pts, 5 asts, 4 rebs.
Tim Duncan - 15 pts, 12 rebs, 4 asts.
Richard Jefferson - 16pts, 6 rebs.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 21 / 13 / 19 / 21 - 74
Spurs - 23 / 23 / 20 / 20 - 86

[Absynthe]

[Game 6] Grizzlies 92 - Sixers 83



Game Recap: The Philadelphia 76ers lost their second straight game after bowing down to the Memphis Grizzlies, 92 - 83.

Zach Randolph and Rudy Gay both proved to be too much to handle for the 76ers. Randolph teased with a near triple-double, scoring 20 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing 8 assists while Gay added 20 points for the Grizzlies who won their fifth game in 8 outings.

The Grizzlies overcame a slow start which saw them trailing early, 9 - 2, then turned it up in the third quarter. Randolph and Gay scored 12 points each as the Grizzlies grabbed a 2 point lead going into halftime. In the third, the 76ers were able to close in to 1 point, 55 - 54, after a Jrue Holiday basket. The Grizzlies would then go on a huge 16 - 2 run to grab a 71 - 56 lead. OJ Mayo shot two 3 pointers during the stretch.

Holiday led the 76ers with 19 points and 7 assists. Andre Iguodala was the only other Sixer in double figures, scoring 10 points. Allen Iverson, a week after being named East player of the week, struggled for the second straight game, scoring 9 points on 4 - 13 shooting.

On other news, 76ers guard, Lou Williams injured his elbow and will be out for 9 days.

Top Performers:
Jrue Holiday - 19 pts, 7 asts, 3 stls.
Andre Iguodala - 10 pts, 5 asts, 4 rebs.

Zach Randolph - 20 pts, 10 rebs, 8 asts.
Rudy Gay - 24 pts, 4 rebs.
Mike Conley - 15 pts, 10 asts, 10 rebs.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 22 / 23 / 15 / 23 - 83
Grizzlies - 23 / 24 / 27 / 18 - 92

[Absynthe]

[Game 7] Rockets 105 - Sixers 98 (OT)



Game Recap: The Rockets leaned on Yao Ming for the majority of the game, then they turned to Tracy McGrady for a clutch basket down the stretch, and finally, relied to the role players to deliver the finishing blow in overtime.

Yao had a monster game, scoring 26 points and grabbing 19 rebounds and McGrady scored 20 points, including a very important basket late in regulation. But it was the other players that made this win possible for the Rockets. Luis Scola had an equally huge game to Yao, grabbing 23 rebounds and scoring 14 points. Aaron Brooks had 9 points and 14 assists.

Down by 1, McGrady hit a 3-pointer with 9.8 seconds left to give the Rockets a 2-point lead. Allen Iverson answered with a buzzer-beating jumper from the top of the key to send the game to overtime. Iverson said he was going for a 3-pointer, but had a foot inside the 3-point line.

"I was going for the game-winner, but Tracy did a good job of staying in front of me. With time running out, I have to take the shot and when I looked down, my foot was inside the line."

The Sixers scored the first 4 points in overtime, but then Houston would respond with an 8 - 0 run to put the game away. Brooks, Scola and Battier each scored during the stretch. In fact, Yao did not score in overtime, and McGrady only had 2, but the role players were there to finish the job.

It was another tough loss for the Sixers, who lost their third straight. After a very close game with no team getting a clear upper hand, the 76ers grabbed a 74 - 66 lead after the third after back-to-back 3 pointers by Iverson and Andre Iguodala. They stretched the lead to 80 - 69 early in the 4th, and seemed on their way to a win. But Houston would go on a 12 - 2 run to come within 1 point, 83 - 82. Iguodala would score 6 straight points for Philly but Yao and Scola would answer with each basket of their own. With the 76ers leading 88 - 87, McGrady would score on a 3 pointer, setting the stage for Iverson's game-tying buzzer-beater.

The biggest issue for the 76ers had been rebounding. Scola and Yao outrebounded the whole 76ers team all by themselves.

"We can't give 20 rebounds to 2 opposing players and expect to win, that's ridiculous," a visibly upset Iverson said after the game.

Top Performers:
Andre Iguodala - 23 pts, 5 asts, 5 stls.
Allen Iverson - 22 pts, 7 asts.
Jrue Holiday - 14 pts, 9 asts.

Yao Ming - 26 pts, 19 rebs, 6 blks.
Luis Scola - 14 pts, 23 rebs.
Tracy McGrady - 20 pts, 5 rebs.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 29 / 20 / 25 / 18 / (8) - 98
Rockets - 26 / 19 / 21 / 24 (15) - 105

[kibaxx7]

Simple but effective

[Absynthe]

Thanks Thierry!

[Game 8] Sixers 99 - Bucks 61



Game Recap: After being brutally dominated by Yao Ming and Luis Scola in the prior game, the 76ers big men vented out their frustrations on Milwaukee.

And the Bucks never stood a chance.

Elton Brand scored 15 points and had 5 rebounds, while Marreese Speights added 11 points and 8 rebounds in his first start, replacing Jason Smith, who came up big himself off the bench with 12 points and 6 rebounds.

After a close first quarter, the 76ers pulled away in the second period and built a huge lead. Their defense was superb too, as they only gave up a combined 17 points to the Bucks in the second and third quarter.

"Three straight losses were tough, it was nice to finally get a win." Brand said. The Bucks' starting frontcourt duo of Andrew Bogut and Hakeem Warrick were held to a combined 11 points and 12 rebounds. Seven Philadelphia players scored in double figures, led by Thaddeus Young's 17.

"Offensively and defensively, this was our best game so far this season." coach Eddie Jordan said postgame.

Philadelphia improved to 4 wins and 4 losses. The Bucks dropped to 3 - 6.

Top Performers:
Thaddeus Young - 17 pts, 5 rebs.
Elton Brand - 15 pts, 5 rebs.
Jason Smith - 12 pts, 6 rebs, 3 blks.

Michael Redd - 14 pts, 5 asts.
Luke Ridnour 11 pts, 5 asts.
L. Mbah a Moute 10 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 22 / 25 / 30 / 22 - 99
Bucks - 20 / 9 / 8 / 24 - 61

[Cruzerr]

I agree with Thierry. I like it

[Absynthe]

[Game 9] Nuggets 99 - Sixers 95



Game Recap: Carmelo Anthony was in his usual high-scoring self as he scored 33 to lift the Denver Nuggers over former teammate Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Anthony also added 9 rebounds and shot 12 of 20 from the field. He had 18 points in the first half.

Andre Iguodala also had 18 points in the first half to match Carmelo's production. Iggy finished with 22 points with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Iverson and Marreese Speights added 17 points each as all 5 starters of the 76ers scored in double digits.

Chauncey Billups struggled all night as he finished with 8 points on 1 of 9 shooting and 8 turnovers. He did have 15 assists.

The Nuggets were able to build a 93 - 80 lead halfway in the fourth before Philly started a huge run led by Jrue Holiday. A 10 - 2 run cut the lead to five, 95 - 90. After 2 free throws by Billups, Speights answered with a three-point play to bring Philly to within four with less than a minute to play. Iverson scored on a hard drive to further cut the lead, 97 - 95. Anthony would turn the ball over on the next play, giving the 76ers a chance to tie or take the lead, but Holiday missed a 3-pointer and the Nuggets finally sealed the win with 2 free throws.

Top Performers:
Andre Iguodala - 22 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts.
Allen Iverson - 17 pts, 7 asts.
Marreese Speights - 17 pts, 5 rebs.

Carmelo Anthony - 33 pts, 9 rebs.
Nene - 15 pts, 5/6 FGs.
J.R. Smith - 14 pts.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 24 / 20 / 24 / 27 - 95
Nuggets - 29 / 26 / 20 / 24 - 99

[Absynthe]

[Game 10] Sixers 102 - Knicks 82



Game Recap: Welcome to the Allen Iverson show.

After a slim two-point lead after 3 quarters, the Philadelphia 76ers broke the game open in the fourth led by Iverson.

It all started when Iverson hit a buzzer-beater jump shot to end the third and give Philly a 2-point lead heading into fourth. The game continued to be close in the first few minutes of the fourth and it was 74 - 72 before the 76ers went on a 16 - 4 run. Of the 16 Philly points during the run, 11 were made by Iverson and he assisted on the other 5 points as the 76ers built a 90 - 76 lead. Iverson scored 13 points in the fourth.

The Answer finished with 29 points and 7 assists to lead Philly to its fifth win in 10 games and a tie for eight place in the East. Andre Iguodala had a second straight strong offensive game, scoring 25 points on 10/15 shooting. Jrue Holiday had 16 points and 5 assists.

Al Harrington scored 24 points, 17 in the first half, off the bench, to lead the Knicks.

The only downside for the win was the injury to Elton Brand with 2 minutes left in the game. He was diagnosed to have a broken ankle. He will be further evaluated.

Top Performers:
Allen Iverson - 29 pts, 7 asts.
Andre Iguodala - 25 pts.
Jrue Holiday -16 pts, 5 asts.

Al Harrington - 24 pts, 6 rebs.
Wilson Chandler - 13 pts, 8 rebs.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 24 / 23 / 21 / 34 - 102
Knicks - 21 / 23 / 22 / 16 - 82

[Absynthe]

"Injury bug bites 76ers big men; Brand out for 40 days, Smith done for the season."



After trading away starting center Samuel Dalembert, the 76ers were left with a gaping hole in the middle. The team was consistently outrebounded by opposing teams, including a game in which they gave up a combined 42 rebounds to 2 opposing big men.

Now, with injuries to 2 of its bigs, the situation is about to get worse.

Starting power forward Elton Brand injured his ankle in the final minutes of the Knicks game and is expected to miss 42 days. Jason Smith, who started 8 games for the Sixers this season, torn his ACL in practice the following day. He is expected to be out for at least 10 months, effectively ending his season.

It was particularly difficult for Smith, who is already a vital part of Philly's big man rotation. He is also on a contract year, and although there is a team option for another year, with this injury, his chances of coming back to the team looks bleak.

"This is just tough. We are one-thirds into the season and currently fighting for a playoff spot. We need every help we can get, especially inside, where we have been very vulnerable ever since Sammy left. But we will figure something out." Sixers coach Eddie Jordan said.

[Absynthe]

[Game 11] Sixers 89 - Thunder 65



Game Recap: With Elton Brand and Jason Smith out, the remaining big men stepped up and helped the 76ers pounce on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

DJ White, a reserve, started in Brand's place and scored 10 points and 6 rebounds. Starting center Marreese Speights also had 11 points, 6 rebounds and season-high 5 blocks while Thaddeus Young had 12 points and 6 boards. Even Juwan Howard contributed 6 points and 6 rebounds in his first appearance as a 76er.

76ers coach Eddie Jordan opted to start White instead of sixth man Young, mainly because he wanted Young's production off the bench. "Thaddeus is playing really well off the bench this year. When Andre (Iguodala) and Allen sits down, Thad becomes the focal point in our offense, so it's important to keep on having him play off the bench. Fortunately, DJ's performance made me look like a genius with that decision."

It was only a 4-point game at the half but the 76ers opened up the game in the third and the Thunder just could not keep up. Kevin Durant scored a game-high 26 points and had 6 rebounds, but the only other Thunder to score in double figures was James Harden, who chipped in 14 points. In contrast, six 76ers scored in double digits led by Allen Iverson's 20 points.

Top Performers:
Allen Iverson - 20 pts, 5 asts.
Thaddeus Young - 12 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts.
Marreese Speights - 11 pts, 6 rebs, 5 blks.

Kevin Durant - 26 pts, 6 rebs.
James Harden - 14 pts, 3 stls.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 23 / 13 / 29 / 24 - 89
Thunder - 17 / 15 / 14 / 19 - 65

[Game 12] Sixers 90 - Warriors 69



Game Recap: The Philadelphia 76ers scored their third straight blow-out win in a row, this time demolishing the Golden State Warriors, 90 - 69.

The 76ers's tough defense in the second quarter seemed to be the turning point as they held the Warriors to only 11 points. The bench, which had been the 76ers' strength this season, again contributed big as Philly won their seventh game and improved their playoff seeding to sixth place in the east.

It was another balanced offensive attack by the 76ers as five players scored in double-digits. Thaddeus Young had another superb performance as he scored 14 points and grabbed 9 boards and dished out 6 assists. Andre Iguodala had an equally well-rounded game as he finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals. DJ White was again another pleasant surprise, scoring 10 points and 5 rebounds in his second start replacing the injured Elton Brand.

Stephen Jackson had 30 points but had essentially no help as no other Warrior scored in double figures. Monta Ellis finished with 9 points and 10 assists.

The 76ers played a very efficient game all throughout, shooting almost 60% for the game.

76ers coach Eddie Jordan had nothing but praise for his team, "I've said it before, if our offense is clicking and our defense is working, we're a pretty tough team to beat."

Top Performers:
Thaddeus Young - 14 pts, 9 rebs, 6 asts.
Andre Iguodala - 14 pts, 7 rebs, 7 asts, 5 stls.
Lou Williams - 12 pts, 7 asts.

Stephen Jackson - 30 pts, 7 rebs.
Monta Ellis - 9 pts, 10 asts.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 12 / 26 / 24 / 28 - 90
Warriors - 17 / 11 / 21/ 20 - 69

[Absynthe]

[Game 13] Sixers 97 - Jazz 91



The Philadelphia 76ers won their fourth straight game, this time beating the Utah Jazz, 97 - 91.

It was a close game all throughout until Philadelphia gained some momentum at the end of the third quarter that carried on to the fourth.

Jrue Holiday, who only scored 7 points, hit a big 3-pointer late in regulation to stretch the lead to 9, 94 - 85.

Again, the 76ers got dominated in the boards, but balanced scoring by the 76ers evened things out. Five players scored in double-figures for Philly, and nobody scored below 7.

Marreese Speights led the 76ers with team-high 21 points and 8 rebounds. Thaddeus Young added 18 points and 6 rebounds.

Three Jazz had a double-double, but even that couldn't stop the streaking 76ers. Deron Williams finished with 16 points and 12 assists. Carlos Boozer had 10 points and 14 rebounds while Mehmet Okur chipped in 15 points and 12 boards.

Top Performers:
Marreese Speights - 21 pts, 8 rebs, 4 asts.
Thaddeus Young - 18 pts, 6 rebs, 2 asts.
Andre Iguodala - 17 pts, 8 asts, 4 rebs.

Deron Williams - 16 pts, 12 asts, 4 rebs.
Mehmet Okur - 15 pts, 12 rebs.
Carlos Boozer - 10 pts, 14 rebs.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 22 / 27 / 26 / 22 - 97
Jazz - 22 / 28 / 16 / 25 - 91

[Game 14] Sixers 81 - Timberwolves 78



When AI was strugling, AI2 stepped up.

Andre Iguodala scored 22 points and had 7 rebounds and 5 assists to lead Philadelphia to its fifth straight win. Iguodala scored key baskets in the final quarter as the 76ers held off the pesky Wolves.

Philly had a 68 - 63 lead halfway in the fourth before Wayne Ellington scored 6 straight points to give Minnesota the lead. There were several lead changes from that point before Ryan Gomes' 3 puts the Wolves ahead, 78 - 77 with 31 seconds left. Thaddeus Young would then come up big and scored 4 straight points for the 76ers including a basket with 5.7 seconds left to give Philly a 3 point lead and the game.

Allen Iverson struggled throughout the game and finished with only 5 points on 2/12 shooting.

Kevin Love had a monster game for the Wolves, scoring 15 points and grabbing 15 boards. Al Jefferson was 2 assists away from a triple-double before fouling out halfway regulation with the 76ers holding a slim 2-point lead.

Top Performers:
Andre Iguodala - 22 pts, 7 rebs, 5 asts.
Thaddeus Young - 19 pts, 3 rebs.

Kevin Love - 15 pts, 15 rebs.
Al Jefferson - 11 pts, 10 rebs, 8 asts.
Wayne Ellington - 14 pts.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 25 / 16 / 12 / 28 - 81
Timberwolves - 17 / 24 / 15 / 22 - 78

[Game 15] Trailblazers 95 - Sixers 86



The Portland Trailblazers put an end to Philadelphia's 5-game winning streak, winning 95 - 86.

Portland controlled the entire game and although Philly stayed close, the 76ers never managed to put together a huge push to get the lead.

Philadelphia was without starting point guard Jrue Holiday, who was out with an ankle sprain. Allen Iverson started at point and finished with 17 points and 4 assists with 3 steals.

Although Philadelphia had 5 players scoring in double-figures, but they couldn't stop Portland's effective offensive game especially in the final period, when Portland scored 30 points.

Andre Miller had a double-double with 16 points and 10 assists. Brandon Roy scored a game-high 22 points. LaMarcus Aldridge had a great all-around performance with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks.

Phiadelphia dropped to 9 - 6, which is tied for 5th place in the east.

Top Performers:
Allen Iverson - 17 pts, 4 asts, 3 stls.
Andre Iguodala - 16 pts, 4 asts.
DJ White - 15 pts, 3 rebs.

LaMarcus Aldridge - 16 pts, 6 rebs, 5 asts, 4 stls, 2 blks.
Brandon Roy - 22 pts, 3 stls.
Andre Miller - 16 pts, 10 asts.

Quarter Scoring:
Sixers - 19 / 22 / 22 / 23 - 86
Trailblazers - 21 / 19 / 25 / 30 - 95

[Absynthe]

Jrue Holiday Named December East Rookie of the Month



76ers point guard Jrue Holiday has been named East Rookie of the Month after averaging 12.3 points and 5.1 assists for the month of December.

The current youngest NBA player was immediately plunged to the starting lineup since day 1, and attributes his strong play to the confidence given to him by the coaching staff.

"Starting right away did a lot for my confidence, and I don't want to disappoint the coaching staff and my teammates."

Tyreke Evans meanwhile is the West Rookie of the Month for the second consecutive time. He has season averages of 16.3 points, 6.4 assists, and 2.5 steals.

[Cruzerr]

Nicely done by Jrue. You are doing good now, keep it up !