Iverson Leads OT Victory

Allen Iverson was healthy enough to dazzle the Sacramento Kings and push the Philadelphia 76ers to the top of the NBA.

Iverson scored 46 points with a whirling array of beautiful shots, and Aaron McKie, who had a triple-double, hit a 3-pointer to break a tie with 39 seconds left in overtime as the 76ers earned the NBA`s best record with a 107-104 victory over the Kings on Saturday.

The game matched the teams with the NBA`s best records entering January, but the 76ers (21-8) jumped ahead early with a blistering first quarter and never trailed the Kings (20-8) despite several nip-and-tuck minutes in regulation and a tense overtime.

Iverson, who also had nine rebounds and nine assists, drove the lane and passed to McKie in the corner for the go-ahead shot. Sacramento couldn`t score on its last two possessions, and Jon Barry`s 3-pointer with a second left was short.

With Iverson`s artistry and a dominant rebounding performance, the Sixers won their NBA-best 14th road game and snapped Sacramento`s nine-game home winning streak. McKie had 19 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds in Philadelphia`s first win at Arco Arena in 11 years.

Iverson missed a game last week with a dislocated right shoulder and also is nursing a left hip pointer and a sore right elbow. But the 1999 NBA scoring champion used the nationally televised meeting of the NBA`s conference leaders to show he`s healthy and ready to make the Sixers better than they`ve ever been in his career.

Peja Stojakovic scored a career-high 33 points for the Kings, and he hit four straight free throws in overtime which tied it at 104 with 54 seconds left. Sacramento is 13-2 at home, with both losses coming in overtime.

Chris Webber, fighting a case of stomach flu, had 29 points and 10 rebounds but missed a potential game-winning jumper with five seconds left in regulation.

After trailing the entire game, the Kings outscored the Sixers 32-15 in the fourth quarter thanks to 11 points by Stojakovic _ including three straight 3-pointers -- and Bobby Jackson`s solid defense on Iverson.

Sacramento pulled within one with five minutes to play and tied it at 96 on Webber`s driving layup with 2:01 left. It was tied at 98 when Webber missed a jumper with five seconds left, and Jackson`s tip attempt missed by an inch.

Philadelphia got the last shot of regulation, but Iverson`s 17-footer was off.

The Sixers opened the game in an offensive groove, hitting 14 of their first 20 shots and steadily opening an 18-point lead in the first quarter. Sacramento chipped back in the next two quarters, but they never pulled within striking distance of the lead until the final minutes.

Game notes:
McKie and Philadelphia coach Larry Brown received technical fouls late in the first half for protesting a foul call on McKie. Brown nearly came to half-court to scream at referee Jason Phillips. ... The Sixers also were irked that a backcourt violation wasn`t called on Jackson with 24 seconds left in regulation. The referees said Jackson didn`t have possession of the inbounds pass before he fumbled it into the backcourt. ... The 76ers hadn`t won at Arco Arena since March 1, 1989, when Charles Barkley had a triple-double.

(Courtesy Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2000.)

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Author: AP