Okur leads the Jazz past Rockets 82-74 (AP) Updated: 2005-12-28 13:58
O'Neal scored 10 points in the second and finished the half with 17.
Philadelphia beats Denver 108-106
DENVER - Allen Iverson scored 36 points, including the game-winner, and the
Philadelphia 76ers overcame Carmelo Anthony's career-high 45 to beat the Denver
Nuggets 108-106 on Tuesday night.
Chris Webber added 32 points and 15 rebounds, none bigger than the one in the
final minute that set up Iverson's winning shot.
After Webber grabbed Earl Watson's miss from long range, the Sixers called a
timeout with 21 seconds left. Iverson took the inbounds pass and stalled at
midcourt until driving on Andre Miller, then pulling up and sinking the basket
from the top of the key with 4.2 seconds remaining.
After two timeouts, Anthony took the inbounds but couldn't get a good look
with Andre Iguodala closely guarding him. So, he dished to Watson, whose
3-pointer was short, bouncing off the front of the rim at the buzzer.
Anthony, whose previous career high was 42 on Dec. 13 at Charlotte, scored 19
points in the third quarter, including the Nuggets' last nine on a series of
spectacular drives to the basket and a pull-up 3-pointer, to help Denver head
into the fourth quarter tied at 80.
But with Anthony catching his breath on the bench, the 76ers swished three
straight 3s, two of them by Kyle Korver, and Philadelphia took a 91-87 lead with
7:44 remaining.
Anthony returned and jammed his right wrist when Samuel Dalembert fouled him
on his follow-through. Anthony shook it off to sink all three free throws and
then put Denver ahead 94-93 with a drive to the basket 30 seconds later.
His breakaway basket with 3:56 left gave him 43 points and put Denver ahead
98-93, but the 76ers rallied behind Iverson, who put Philadelphia ahead 103-102
with a jumper just under 2 minutes left.
The Nuggets were coming off their best shooting performance in nearly five
years (.603) at Golden State on Monday night, but the weariness from their
redeye flight home showed early. So did Marcus Camby's pain. He played despite a
sprained and swollen right pinkie finger, which he re-injured against the
Warriors, but he missed four jumpers and took a seat just six minutes into the
game and didn't return.
Iverson sprained his right ankle five minutes into the second half when he
fell to the floor untouched. He was taped up and stayed in the game.
The 76ers' next stop on their seven-city trip is Portland on Wednesday night
in Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheeks' first trip back to the city where he was
fired last year. Cheeks said he couldn't wait.
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