PHILADELPHIA - Andre Iguodala and Kyle Korver each scored 27 points and the
Philadelphia 76ers tied a season high with their third straight victory, 117-112
in overtime over the lowly Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
Philadelphia 76ers forward Kyle Korver celebrates the teams'
117-112 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in an NBA basketball
game Friday, March 2, 2007, in Philadelphia. [AP]
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Joe Smith added a season-high 18
points and had 12 rebounds, and Andre Miller had 11 points and 12 assists for
the Sixers.
In a matchup of teams vying for more pingpong balls in the draft lottery, the
Grizzlies improved their chances.
Pau Gasol had 31 points and 13 rebounds and Mike Miller scored 27 for
Memphis, which has the worst record in the NBA (15-45) after making the playoffs
three straight years.
The Sixers (21-38) are third-worst ahead of Boston. The team that finishes
last isn't guaranteed the first pick in June's draft. However, that team will
have the best chance to win the lottery.
Coming off an impressive victory over Phoenix that prevented the Suns from
becoming the first team in league history to sweep its road games against the
opposite conference, the Sixers almost reverted back to their losing ways.
They committed 12 turnovers and trailed by three at halftime, despite
shooting nearly 60 percent.
The Grizzlies went on a 9-2 run to start the fourth quarter, but Korver ended
it with a 3-pointer and the teams stayed close the rest of the way.
Iguodala's driving layup put the Sixers ahead 103-100 in the final minute of
regulation, but Mike Miller nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to tie it
with 4.9 seconds left. Iguodala's fallaway shot missed as the buzzer sounded,
sending it to overtime.
Korver scored the first points in the extra session on a baseline jumper and
made a pair of free throws to give the Sixers a 107-105 lead. Andre Miller
followed with a steal and layup to extend the lead to 109-105, and Smith's
jumper iced it.
The Sixers hadn't won three in a row since opening the season 3-0. Allen
Iverson and Chris Webber were playing here back then, more fans were coming out
and there was reason for some hope.
On a night when young fans received Andre Miller replica jerseys, the point
guard dazzled with several nifty passes. Miller found Samuel Dalembert for an
alley-oop pass on an inbounds from behind the basket as the Sixers took their
biggest lead to that point, 34-28, in the second quarter.
The Grizzlies outscored Philadelphia 20-11 the rest of the quarter to take a
48-45 lead at halftime.
Notes: Sixers rookie F Rodney Carney sat out his second straight game with a
torn rotator cuff and labrum in his right shoulder. ... The Sixers are 16-26
since Iverson played his last game with Philadelphia. ... Memphis G Chucky
Atkins didn't play because of a sprained right ankle. ... The teams split the
season series.