http://sports.excite.com/news/01242005/v8118.html

On an impromptu Philadelphia Eagles appreciation night, Allen Iverson hoped some of that championship magic rubbed off on the 76ers.

"It was something you always want to be a part of," Iverson said. "That's the same thing with me. Just being able to try to get to the Finals and win it. That's the ultimate goal."

Iverson had 45 points and 11 assists, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 106-98 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday night.

Samuel Dalembert added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Sixers, who took over down the stretch in a matchup of Eastern Conference division leaders.

Shaquille O'Neal scored 24 points and Dwyane Wade had 17 points and 11 assists for the Heat, who were coming off a 29-point win the night before against New Orleans.

A Super Bowl appearance is about the only thing that could overshadow a matchup of Shaq vs. A.I.

With the score tied at 83 midway through the fourth quarter, highlights of the Eagles season were shown on the videoboard and the fans got up again for another thunderous ovation.

"I kind of got goose bumps with the whole thing," Iverson said. "I know it's a great feeling to be a part of that team and just to know you've got fans like that."

Perhaps feeding off the energy from the unusually lively crowd, the Sixers went ahead on Dalembert's dunk and Kyle Korver's 3-pointer.

The Sixers led by five when Andre Iguodala grabbed a defensive rebound and fed a streaking Iverson, who crashed hard with Wade on an off-balance layup for a 94-87 lead.

Iverson pointed and cupped his ear toward the crowd as he ran toward the bench during a timeout. The NBA's leading scorer shot 13-for-30 from the floor, made 18 of 19 free throws and had just one turnover in 45 minutes.

Iverson scored more than 40 points for the fifth time this season and posted his 12th double-double.

"He was spectacular tonight," Philadelphia coach Jim O'Brien said. "Those stats are beyond belief."

(Shaq) got a rare dose of his own game early.

Late in the first quarter, the 6-foot-11 Dalembert went straight up under the basket and stuffed O'Neal's dunk attempt off a rebound, sending the big man crashing backward and onto his back for a few seconds. Iverson picked up the loose ball and sank a 17-footer.

O'Neal was back with a statement of his own a few possessions later, though, when he slammed home a ferocious dunk over Dalembert.

45 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals & only 1 turnover in 44 minutes to carry his team to a victory against the best team in the East...come on guys...you would REALLY take Marbury over Iverson?

Marbury over AI, hell no. AI is a superstar. Marbury is nothing but a selfproclaimed superstar. AI was MVP of the league, scoring champion. Marbury won't sniff that in his career.

I love AI but c'mon, you don't think if he played for the Knicks there'd be TONS of complaints about him on his off nights. You think Crawford forces a lot of outside prayers? We'd be SKEWERING AI when he's off.

if marbs took 38 shots a game he would be a scoring leader too...all this hating on marbs is getting annoying...name one player better on the knicks then we will talk...how about we start hating on baker and is non existent contribution...how bout we start hating on nazr and his no d in "nazr", how about kurt and his non athleticism, how about ariza and him not having a j, how about freaking start looking at the positives of marbs...no he is not perfect but he is the only player on the knicks who is consistant and he is the only player right now who is playing well....Marbs is the Knicks point blank.

Posted by kNYks342:

if marbs took 38 shots a game he would be a scoring leader too...all this hating on marbs is getting annoying...name one player better on the knicks then we will talk...how about we start hating on baker and is non existent contribution...how bout we start hating on nazr and his no d in "nazr", how about kurt and his non athleticism, how about ariza and him not having a j, how about freaking start looking at the positives of marbs...no he is not perfect but he is the only player on the knicks who is consistant and he is the only player right now who is playing well....Marbs is the Knicks point blank.

WHAT!! YOU'RE GONNA START HATING ON REEZY NOW!?!?!?!?

cant hate on a 19 year old who was the 44th overrall pick

he has singlehandedly carried a team. To the NBA finals. He's won an MVP. That finals team was terrible after Ratliff got hurt and they went out and got Mutumbo.

Let me ask you this... who was the 2nd best player on those Phili teams? Iverson's only problem now is father time and the beating his little body takes.

Think about it... Iverson beat out KG, Duncan, Shaq, Kobe... for the MVP. Sorry, Stephon isnt in that class. Neither is Pierce

Posted by fishmike:

he has singlehandedly carried a team. To the NBA finals. He's won an MVP. That finals team was terrible after Ratliff got hurt and they went out and got Mutumbo.

Let me ask you this... who was the 2nd best player on those Phili teams? Iverson's only problem now is father time and the beating his little body takes.

Think about it... Iverson beat out KG, Duncan, Shaq, Kobe... for the MVP. Sorry, Stephon isnt in that class. Neither is Pierce

Disagree. Those teams were a force because, like Detroit last year, LB had them really playing as a TEAM.

The 2nd best player? I'd say either Mutombo or McKie. Deke was a force still then. And McKie, before his injuries, was a terrific player, perfect 2nd banana for AI. I also rememeber how effective Snow was. And Lynch and Hill were scrappy hard-working forwards. That team was built to complement AI. For an "enemy" team i liked them a lot.

Posted by newyorknewyork:

I love it. I would take Iverson over Marbury because he is flat out a better player.

What I love is if we had the same team as philly the last 3 or 2yrs and struggled the way Philly has the last 3 or 2 yrs everyone would come out of the wood work dissing Iverson saying how he isn't a leader. Doesn't go to practice, he is a cancer, to injury prone. How we should dump him and rebuild. I still remember when fans were saying how Iverson was bringing KVH down.

Knicks fans are nothing more than an angry mob who are easily swade.

Not a shot at you TMS.

no offense taken dude...i just put this out there because i feel AI is severely underrated on this board...this is not a shot at Marbury or me hating on him...i just found it funny how people were saying they'd rather have Marbs over AI...like you & some others have said, AI is flat out in a different class...that's the only point i was making.

there are few guards in history you build around, yet alone Points.

AI did carry them for a season. He is a great talent.

Tiny had nobody, and did nothing.

THe big O was the man in Cincy, but not until his twilight with Alcinder did he did he win.

Clyde with no supporting cast could not carry a team.

Nash cannot carry a team, but he can drive one!

Magic had showtime around him, he drove that team also.

Great points don't carry, but they are the engine, the heart and sole. Marbs is a short power guard whom gets nice assists cuz he dishes on his way to the basket, and he has the ball 90% of the time.

Guys like Kidd and Nash thread passes from anywhere and get the team in motion. Very different than marbs and AI type players. Marbs does not have that kind of vision on the court.

Marbs has not had young players in their prime around him. He was holding Amare and Marion back with his style. Imagine Marbs with a low post threat like Timbug had with Mourning in his prime? An inside outside presence, and Marbs can take it to the hoop.

If you looking to build a greyhound squad, yo don't do it with Marbury. If your looking to build a power squad with low post presence, Marbs could be more effective. Marbs is a much better Billups!

For now he is our best player, and he will freelance to his ability.

Posted by Bonn1997:

Posted by fishmike:

he has singlehandedly carried a team. To the NBA finals. He's won an MVP. That finals team was terrible after Ratliff got hurt and they went out and got Mutumbo.

Let me ask you this... who was the 2nd best player on those Phili teams? Iverson's only problem now is father time and the beating his little body takes.

Think about it... Iverson beat out KG, Duncan, Shaq, Kobe... for the MVP. Sorry, Stephon isnt in that class. Neither is Pierce

Dude, I was talking about how he is now; not how he once was. If we're talking about how players once were many years ago, then let's keep calling Penny Hardaway a frenchise player! Right now Marbury, Pierce, and Iverson are each awesome players who nevertheless cannot single-handedly carry a team. Maybe many years ago Iverson could; that's a different topic

[Edited by - Bonn1997 on 01/25/2005 22:49:18]

Iverson had a better team and a better coach then. Even he cannot carry a team by himself ever.