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More Sixers NewsSixers LinksBasketball's biggest gunner has been given a reduced load of ammunition. And it hasn't backfired. Many wondered how Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson would handle having to play more of a team game at the Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Through four U.S. games, Iverson has taken 29 shots, which is often how many he takes in one NBA game. And how many times has Iverson complained? By unofficial count, none. "I'm a basketball player," said Iverson, who three times has led the NBA in scoring. "When I play for the Sixers, I'm called on to do other things on the basketball court. Sometimes it takes me to shoot the ball 25 to 30 times in order for us to get a win. There's no way I would have to do a thing like that with a team like this. We're so talented." Iverson is doing plenty of other things. He's playing defense. He's third on the team in assists. He's grabbing some rebounds. Iverson, averaging 12 points and a team-leading 21.3 minutes for the undefeated Americans, had his finest game of the tournament in a 113-55 win Saturday against the Virgin Islands. He went 7-for-9, including three three-pointers, for 17 points, the most any American has scored in the tournament. "It is fun, and it's different," Iverson said of not having to carry a big scoring load. "But you know, I like playing with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Sixers needing me to do a lot more things on the basketball court. But it's fun playing with these guys, too. You don't have to do as much. You just do your part. You accept your role and roll with it." |
