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Iverson Scores 37 And Dishes 15 Assists In Philly Win
Iverson scored 37 points and 15 assists on one of his most efficient nights in his playing career. He shot 15-26 from the field, including 2-4 from 3-point land. Larry Brown was impressed with his former player's performance. ``From a personal standpoint, when you know what someone like that is capable of, it's not a comfortable feeling,'' Brown said. ``We all know what he does, and I haven't seen anybody stop him. The reason we've been successful is we've stopped other people.'' The Pistons now lead the best-of-seven series by a count of 2-1. Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Pistons Have Become The Antithesis Of Today's NBA
"Whenever we need stops, try to cut into the lead, whenever we get the lead down a little bit, they score on us," said Iverson, the Philadelphia 76ers superstar, visibly showing the frustration of trailing the Detroit Pistons 2-0 in the first round of the NBA playoffs. "If we don't get stops, we can't beat them," wailed Iverson, who should have used a white flag instead of a towel to wipe away his sweat. Iverson was not only conceding to a superior opponent that won a championship a year ago and is on a mission to defend its title. He was also conceding to a style of play that separates the Pistons from their peers. In a league overrun with guaranteed contracts and bloated egos, the Pistons defy the norm. When Tracy McGrady of the Houston Rockets buried the winning jumper in a playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks, he graciously thanked his "supporting cast" for making it all possible. Welcome to pro basketball in the 21st century. McGrady, who led the NBA in scoring two years ago in becoming the youngest player to average 30-plus points per game since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976-77, wouldn't last a week with the Pistons. Iverson might last less than a week. The me-first mentality of athletes such as McGrady and Iverson, tremendous talents who struggle to master the concept of team play, permeates pro sports. It's partly why America has fallen out of love with the NBA. The Pistons didn't come together by accident. Team president Joe Dumars assembled a group of players from winning college backgrounds who were constantly told they weren't good enough. Compare that with the influx of players who enter the NBA directly from high school, or who have been buttered up like a slice of bread since adolescence. Dumars' personnel brilliance simplified things for coach Larry Brown, who has convinced the Pistons to play championship basketball with a rare blend of togetherness and unselfishness. Shooting guard Richard Hamilton and small forward Tayshaun Prince attended Connecticut and Kentucky, respectively, where they both won national championships. At the NBA level, however, they faced skepticism. Hamilton was considered too "soft;" Prince was - and remains - skinny enough to hula-hoop with a Cheerio. Both players, for all their supposed warts, are now on the brink of stardom. Center Ben Wallace led Virginia Union to the Division II Final Four, but wasn't drafted because he played for a small school and couldn't shoot (he still can't hit the broad side of a barn, but he's an intimidating rebounder and shot-blocker). Power forward Rasheed Wallace (North Carolina) and point guard Chauncey Billups (Colorado) left college early for the NBA. However, each player bounced from team to team before finding his niche in Detroit. Billups, last year's finals MVP, played for five teams in his first four NBA seasons. He butted heads with Brown at first. He'd lost the ability to trust because he had been traded so often, and was determined to play an individual game instead of a team game. Billups is now a believer in the Pistons brand. "Everybody can't be us," Billups said. Too bad. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Clipps' Simmons Named NBA's Most ImprovedBobby Simmons of the Los Angeles Clippers was named the winner of the 2004-05 NBA Most Improved Player Award, the NBA announced today. The annual award is presented to a player who has made a dramatic improvement from the previous season or seasons. Simmons is the first Clipper to be honored with the Most Improved Player award since its inception. He also becomes the first player with NBDL (2002-03) experience to be honored with one of the NBA’s annual awards. Simmons received a total of 384 points, including 59 first-pace votes, from a panel of 123 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Miami’s Dwyane Wade finished second with 129 points (15 first-place votes) followed by Detroit’s Tayshaun Prince with 107 points (14 first-place votes). Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third place vote received. “Bobby plays the game with toughness,” said TNT analyst Doug Collins. “He plays hard. He gives you his best effort all the time. He’s smart. He shoots the ball well and he’s an all-around player.” A former member of the NBDL’s Mobile Revelers, Simmons is in his fourth NBA season and averaged 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists over 37.3 minutes per game this season. He improved his scoring average from last season by 8.6 points, his rebounding average by 1.2 rpg. Simmons also increased his field goal percentage to .466 (up from .394 in 2003-04) and three-point field goal percentage to .435 (up from .167 in 2003-04). He started 74 of the 75 games in which he played for the Clippers this season, leading the team in scoring on 12 occasions, rebounds five times, assists six times and steals 21 times. A second round selection in the 2001 NBA Draft (42nd pick overall) by the Seattle SuperSonics, Simmons spent two seasons with the Washington Wizards (2001-02 and 2002-03) before signing with the Clippers prior to the 2003-04 season. Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Pistons Apr 2005 Archive
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Ben Wallace's career-high 29 points and 16 rebounds weren't enought to stop Allen Iverson on Friday night, as the Sixers defeated the Pistons by a final score of 115-104.
Allen Iverson delivered a heartfelt concession speech Tuesday night.