Iverson always on mind
Allen Iverson, who last year posted 60 vs. the Magic, is 2nd in the NBA in scoring.
Brian Schmitz Sentinel Staff Writer Posted January 26, 2006
PHILADELPHIA --
Orlando Magic forward Dwight Howard found it difficult to stay quiet, much less calm, inside a movie theater Sunday night.
It wasn't the film he was watching that was making him incredulous. It was Kobe Bryant.
"My friends kept text-messaging me [with updates of Bryant, who was en route to an 81-point game]: I just started yelling, saying, 'This is unreal!' '' Howard said.
"That's not something you could do playing a video game with 24-minute quarters. I got out of the movie and saw that Kobe had 81. I was in awe.''
The movie Howard was watching was, appropriately enough, the basketball flick Glory Road.
The road takes Howard and the Magic (17-22) tonight to Philadelphia's Wachovia Center, home to another of the NBA's most prolific scorers: 76ers guard Allen Iverson.
Howard played against Iverson for the first time last season as a wide-eyed 19-year-old rookie. He'll never forget their last meeting Feb. 12, 2005, in Philly: Iverson scored a career-high 60 points in a 112-99 victory over the Magic.
"Oh, man,'' Howard said. "We were embarrassed.''
The Magic didn't have an answer for "The Answer.'' They didn't even have a suggestion how to slow him.
Iverson made 17-of-36 shots and 24-of-27 free throws.
He averaged 38.5 points against Orlando, although the teams split the four-game series. He won his fourth scoring title last season, finishing at 30.9 points per game and is averaging 33.5 this season, second behind Bryant's 35.9.
Iverson marveled at how the Magic played him one-on-one during his 60-point night, refusing to trap him. Then again, Orlando was one of the league's worst defensive teams under Johnny Davis.
Magic Coach Brian Hill doesn't plan on his defense surrendering that many points to AI. He said Wednesday that Steve Francis would begin the game defending Iverson. DeShawn Stevenson and Keyon Dooling also will likely get a crack at him.
Point guard Jameer Nelson, who plays against Iverson during the summer in Philadelphia, will not be able to join the AI tag-team. He's out with a sprained right foot.
It wasn't as if, Hill said, "one guy has the assignment. The whole team has responsibility'' of monitoring Iverson.
While the Magic have improved defensively, Seattle's Rashard Lewis scored 45 points against them, Sacramento's Mike Bibby had 42 and Detroit's Chauncey Billups had 37. New Jersey's Vince Carter has recorded two 30-point games against them.
They did hold Bryant to 21 points in a 104-88 loss to the L.A. Lakers on Dec. 23 -- the night that Iverson posted his 10th career 50-point game with a 53-point outburst against the Atlanta Hawks.
"On any night he [Iverson] can explode for 40 or 50 points. You hope not 60,'' Hill said. "He handles the ball so much. You have to get it out of his hands. He's a tough customer, constantly attacking. He never gives your defense a chance to relax.''
Stevenson said the Magic must be more physical with the 6-foot Iverson this time around, saying, "You give him different looks. You bump him -- not trying to hurt him -- but frustrate him.''
Francis didn't call Iverson a hired gun, but "a hired cannon. You just try to stay in front of him. He's one of the quickest guys in the league. You just don't let him get easy shots,'' Francis said.Share THIS!!!: 
Brian Schmitz Sentinel Staff Writer Posted January 26, 2006
PHILADELPHIA --
Orlando Magic forward Dwight Howard found it difficult to stay quiet, much less calm, inside a movie theater Sunday night.
It wasn't the film he was watching that was making him incredulous. It was Kobe Bryant.
"My friends kept text-messaging me [with updates of Bryant, who was en route to an 81-point game]: I just started yelling, saying, 'This is unreal!' '' Howard said.
"That's not something you could do playing a video game with 24-minute quarters. I got out of the movie and saw that Kobe had 81. I was in awe.''
The movie Howard was watching was, appropriately enough, the basketball flick Glory Road.
The road takes Howard and the Magic (17-22) tonight to Philadelphia's Wachovia Center, home to another of the NBA's most prolific scorers: 76ers guard Allen Iverson.
Howard played against Iverson for the first time last season as a wide-eyed 19-year-old rookie. He'll never forget their last meeting Feb. 12, 2005, in Philly: Iverson scored a career-high 60 points in a 112-99 victory over the Magic.
"Oh, man,'' Howard said. "We were embarrassed.''
The Magic didn't have an answer for "The Answer.'' They didn't even have a suggestion how to slow him.
Iverson made 17-of-36 shots and 24-of-27 free throws.
He averaged 38.5 points against Orlando, although the teams split the four-game series. He won his fourth scoring title last season, finishing at 30.9 points per game and is averaging 33.5 this season, second behind Bryant's 35.9.
Iverson marveled at how the Magic played him one-on-one during his 60-point night, refusing to trap him. Then again, Orlando was one of the league's worst defensive teams under Johnny Davis.
Magic Coach Brian Hill doesn't plan on his defense surrendering that many points to AI. He said Wednesday that Steve Francis would begin the game defending Iverson. DeShawn Stevenson and Keyon Dooling also will likely get a crack at him.
Point guard Jameer Nelson, who plays against Iverson during the summer in Philadelphia, will not be able to join the AI tag-team. He's out with a sprained right foot.
It wasn't as if, Hill said, "one guy has the assignment. The whole team has responsibility'' of monitoring Iverson.
While the Magic have improved defensively, Seattle's Rashard Lewis scored 45 points against them, Sacramento's Mike Bibby had 42 and Detroit's Chauncey Billups had 37. New Jersey's Vince Carter has recorded two 30-point games against them.
They did hold Bryant to 21 points in a 104-88 loss to the L.A. Lakers on Dec. 23 -- the night that Iverson posted his 10th career 50-point game with a 53-point outburst against the Atlanta Hawks.
"On any night he [Iverson] can explode for 40 or 50 points. You hope not 60,'' Hill said. "He handles the ball so much. You have to get it out of his hands. He's a tough customer, constantly attacking. He never gives your defense a chance to relax.''
Stevenson said the Magic must be more physical with the 6-foot Iverson this time around, saying, "You give him different looks. You bump him -- not trying to hurt him -- but frustrate him.''
Francis didn't call Iverson a hired gun, but "a hired cannon. You just try to stay in front of him. He's one of the quickest guys in the league. You just don't let him get easy shots,'' Francis said.
