NBA

Iverson puts on show for appreciative fans

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Allen Iverson took it right at Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, with 27 points and seven assists in Philadelphia's 100-88 preseason victory Wednesday night.

Iverson played the first quarter and most of the second half at the Colonial Center on South Carolina's campus.

Iverson, who got the largest pregame ovation, closed his night with a running 20-footer, turning and shaking his head afterward.

"It was a great feeling, man," Iverson said. "My first time being here, people embracing me the way they were. It's something I'm going to cherish."

Duncan had 12 points and eight rebounds.

Philadelphia played a second straight game without Chris Webber, who has a right quad strain. Coach Maurice Cheeks hopes to have him back for the last two or three preseason games.

HOUSTON - Tracy McGrady scored 20 against his former team and Yao Ming added 19 as the Rockets beat the Orlando Magic 84-80.

Steve Francis and Keyon Dooling led the Magic with 12 points apiece, each scoring five in the third quarter as Orlando fought back within 65-63.

Luther Head, the Rockets' first-round pick, hit a pair of 3-pointers and Jon Barry scored five of his 12 in the fourth quarter.

In other news, the Rockets waived guard Charlie Ward.

JAZZ 102, RAPTORS 101 (OT): Rookie Robert Whaley's tip-in with 0.8 seconds left in overtime lifted visiting Utah. Rookie C.J. Miles, who led the Jazz with 14 points, sent the game into overtime with a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left. Charlie Villanueva, the seventh overall pick in the draft, scored 15 and gave Toronto a 101-100 lead with 17 seconds left in overtime by scoring on an offensive rebound. He blocked Miles' short jumper with less than eight seconds left, but Whaley tipped in the winner. Utah's Deron Williams, the third overall pick, had five turnovers in 16 minutes. The Raptors' Joey Graham of Brandon, the 16th pick, didn't play in the second half because of left knee tendinitis.

BUCKS 92, T'WOLVES 89: First overall pick Andrew Bogut had nine points and nine rebounds for visiting Milwaukee. Minnesota forward Kevin Garnett sat out with a sore right knee and the Timberwolves lost Wally Szczerbiak in the third quarter when he sprained his right foot. Rashad McCants, Minnesota's first-round pick, scored a team-high 18.

HAWKS 109, BOBCATS 105: Al Harrington scored 25 for Atlanta in Birmingham, Ala. Hawks guard Joe Johnson added 20 points, including a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired with 1:16 left. Rookie Raymond Felton scored 20 for Charlotte, shooting 8-for-11.

GRIZZLIES 86, BULLS 82: Mike Miller scored 13 and host Memphis held on after leading by 18 at the start of the fourth quarter. Chicago shot 3-for-7 from the line down the stretch.

CAVALIERS: LeBron James was in pain during practice, a day after he woke up with a strained chest muscle and missed Tuesday's preseason game. He said he couldn't have played even if it was a regular-season game.

LAKERS: Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant officially began their new era together, with Bryant scoring 28 and Los Angeles rallying from an early 16-point deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors 101-93 on Tuesday night in Honolulu. "We needed a challenge like this," Bryant said. Said Jackson: "It was pretty difficult to watch for a while." The Lakers' Luke Walton sustained a severe left hamstring strain and is expected to miss two to six weeks.

[Last modified October 13, 2005, 01:12:06]