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Iverson, 76ers find way to beat Magic

©Associated Press

February 15, 2003


PHILADELPHIA -- The 76ers will take any win they can get against the Magic, even an ugly one.

Allen Iverson scored 20, including a free throw with 2.9 seconds left, leading the Sixers to a 99-98 victory over the Magic on Friday night.

Philadelphia had lost nine of its past 10 against Orlando, including two in a row this season.

Derrick Coleman added a season-high 22 points and Eric Snow had 17, including four free throws in the final minute for Philadelphia.

Tracy McGrady had 37 points, including a tying 3-pointer with 8.7 seconds left, and Mike Miller added a season-high 33 for Orlando.

The Magic has lost seven of nine.

"All of the losses are tough," McGrady said. "This is a loss that really hurts because this is a team we thought we could come in and get a win."

After McGrady's 3 over Aaron McKie tied it at 98, Iverson was fouled by Darrell Armstrong as he drove to the basket.

Iverson hit his first free throw, but missed the second. Miller got the rebound, but threw the ball out of bounds while trying to pass.

Magic forward Shawn Kemp was reinstated before the game, three days after he was suspended without pay for violating the league's drug policy for the third time.

Kemp sat out against Philadelphia but was expected to join the team for Sunday's game in Toronto.

PACERS 98, HAWKS 97 (OT): Reggie Miller scored 26, including a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute of overtime, for host Indiana. Miller's final basket, with 10 seconds left, was his seventh 3-pointer. With 23,184 points, he passed Adrian Dantley for 16th place on the league's career list. The Pacers blew a 20-point lead in the third quarter, and Atlanta's Shareef Abdur-Rahim hit a shot with 40 seconds left to tie it at 87 and send it to overtime.

MAVERICKS 110, GRIZZLIES 103: Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 and Michael Finley added 29 as visiting Dallas ended a three-game losing streak. The Mavericks led by 11 early in the final quarter, but the Grizzlies closed the margin to 100-98 with 4:17 to play on two free throws by Mike Batiste. Shawn Bradley scored the next six, giving Dallas a 106-99 lead. Bradley had 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter. Steve Nash scored 16 for Dallas.

WARRIORS 118, RAPTORS 114 (OT): Antawn Jamison scored 32 and Jason Richardson added 25 as Golden State won its third straight road game. The Warriors led by three with 8.6 seconds left in regulation, but Gilbert Arenas fouled Toronto's Voshon Lenard as Lenard attempted an off-balance 3-pointer. Lenard made all three free throws to tie it with 2.5 seconds left. Arenas had six of his 15 points in overtime, including four free throws in the final 20 seconds to seal the victory.

KINGS 110, SONICS 81: Keon Clark had 18 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots, and Peja Stojakovic scored 24 points as host Sacramento shot 67 percent in the first three quarters. Doug Christie matched his career high with 13 assists, and Mike Bibby had 18 points. Kings guard Bobby Jackson was activated and scored eight points after missing 21 games with a broken left hand, and Scot Pollard was placed on the injured list with a broken right hand. The Sonics placed guard Kenny Anderson on the injured list with lower back pain, and forward Vladimir Radmanovic scored five after he was activated.

NETS 90, BULLS 72: Kerry Kittles scored 21 as New Jersey broke out of its post-All-Star break blues. Richard Jefferson added 20 as the Nets snapped a two-game losing skid and improved their league-best home record to 23-2 by beating the league's worst road team. Jalen Rose and Jay Williams each scored 13 for Chicago.

WOLVES 114, HORNETS 93: Kevin Garnett had 23 points and eight rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter to rest, and Troy Hudson added 22 points to lead Minnesota. The Timberwolves hit a season-high 12 of 19 from 3-point range (63 percent) to earn their 15th win in 19 games and 12th in a row at home. David Wesley scored 21 for the Hornets.

BUCKS 96, PISTONS 86: Tim Thomas scored 21 and host Milwaukee held Detroit scoreless for seven minutes in the fourth quarter, snapping the Pistons' six-game winning streak. Sam Cassell scored 16 and Allen added 14 for Milwaukee, which has won 13 of 16. Detroit was led by Hamilton's 28 points. Chauncey Billups added 17, but Wallace was held to eight rebounds, none offensive.

JAZZ 109, WIZARDS 77: Karl Malone had 23 points and 11 rebounds as host Utah welcomed back coach Jerry Sloan from his suspension and said goodbye to Michael Jordan. Andrei Kirilenko added 20 points and Matt Harpring scored 17 for the Jazz. Jordan scored 11 in his last game at the Delta Center and was cheered loudly each time he made a shot. Larry Hughes led the Wizards with 14 points.

KNICKS 116, SUNS 115: Allan Houston scored 26 and Kurt Thomas had 24 points and 10 rebounds for New York. Latrell Sprewell scored 17 for the Knicks. Stephon Marbury had 43 for the Suns.

HEAT 94, ROCKETS 82: Caron Butler scored 24 points and visiting Miami held off a late charge. Steve Francis scored 27 for the Rockets, who hit 33 percent from the field.

CLIPPERS: Center Wang Zhizhi was placed on the injured list because of lower back spasms and forward Cherokee Parks replaced him on the active roster.

LAKERS: Reebok International Ltd. ended endorsement negotiations with Kobe Bryant, saying a deal would cost too much.

SPURS: Center David Robinson was placed on the injured list with a sore right knee and lower back spasms.

WNBA: The Connecticut Sun acquired former UConn star Rebecca Lobo from the Houston Comets in exchange for a second-round draft pick. The 6-foot-4 Lobo led UConn to its first national championship in 1995, when the team went 35-0, and was one of the league's original players in 1997 with the New York Liberty. Lobo joins Nykesha Sales, also a former UConn star, with the Sun.

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