Iverson gives Sixers hope, energy

With Allen Iverson on board, the Sixers hope it's not too late to make a run in the Eastern Conference.

Once you got past the emotions, the sellout crowd and the energy in the building as Allen Iverson made his return to the Philadelphia 76ers Monday night, you were still looking at a Sixers squad that had lost its last nine games.

Coming into Monday's contest against the Nuggets, Philly ranked 19th in offensive efficiency and 27th defensively. They were behind the Knicks in the standings and had defeated the 1-19 Nets twice by a total of just six points. Of last season's playoff teams, they easily had the worst record, clearly the biggest underachievers in the league.

Sure, it's nice to see all the bodies in the seats, but this is a team that needs help in the standings more than it needs it in the box office. They need Allen Iverson, the basketball player, more than Allen Iverson, the icon.

The argument could be made that a year at the bottom of the standings and a high lottery pick would benefit the Sixers more in the long run, but this is a team that needs to win now. Elton Brand is a 30-year-old former All-Star making $16 million a year, Andre Iguodala is in his prime and Thaddeus Young is about to enter his.

Key role players like Samuel Dalembert, Jason Kapono and Willie Green are all veterans as well. Sure, the development of rookie point guard Jrue Holiday may be stifled a bit by Iverson's presence. But if the Sixers were banking on Holiday, the 17th pick of last June's draft, as the key to their future, they were in a lot of trouble in the first place.

So Monday was not only Iverson's return to the city that adores him, it was also an opportunity to help his former team get out of its current slide.

Iverson, of course, hadn't played a game in a month. And to no one's surprise, he was rusty. He finished with 11 points, five rebounds and six assists, but they were the most unspectacular 11 points, five rebounds and six assists you'll ever see. There were no devastating crossovers, no lofty finger rolls over the outstretched arms of a 7-footer, and the assists were of the easy-pass variety.

He had no burst, no lift and no explosiveness.

"My heart said yeah, but my body said no," Iverson quipped afterward. "My legs were weak. My arms were weak."

But through three quarters, the struggling Sixers were beating one of the best teams in basketball.

They had the lead because they got back to the things that have made them successful in the past. They forced turnovers, they blocked shots, they got out on the break and they crashed the boards. In short, they played energy basketball.

While Iverson's play didn't necessarily help his team, the juice he brought to the building did.

No. 3 was the star in the fans' eyes, but Samuel Dalembert, Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young were the stars on the floor. Dalembert was a disruptive force in the paint, blocking six shots in the first half. Iguodala and Young had their hands out in the passing lanes, combining for five of the Sixers' seven steals and holding Carmelo Anthony, the league's leading scorer, to a season-low 14 points on 5-for-21 shooting.

At the end of the third period, the Nuggets were shooting 31 percent from the field and had turned the ball over 13 times. If the game had ended there, it would have easily been the best defensive game the Sixers had played all season.

Of course, the rules say you have to play all 48 minutes. And things turned on a dime when the fourth quarter began. The Nuggets blitzed the Sixers with a 14-0 run to start the period and that was that.

"When they pushed it to us, we didn't respond," Sixers coach Eddie Jordan said.

And the areas that have been the Sixers' biggest problems all season were their undoing on Monday: A stagnant offense and poor perimeter defense.

For the game, the Sixers assisted on 15 of their 35 field goals, lacking ball movement. On the other end, the Nuggets shot 11-for-18 from beyond the arc against what is easily the worst 3-point defense in the league.

But the signs of progress were there.

"I see a lot of great things," Iverson said. "I think as I get in better shape and in a basketball rhythm, get used to getting up and down the court, I could help so much more."

As Iverson gets in shape, he'll also get used to his new teammates and Jordan's offense.

"At times," he said, "I was out there lost, because I didn't know all the sets, all the calls."

Now at 5-16, the Sixers are in a hole. But they've turned their season around at this point each of the last two years. And if they can start winning games, it won't be too hard to climb the Eastern Conference standings. Iverson isn't the answer to all of their problems, but he gives them hope. And his fans give them energy.

"It's going to be scary," Iguodala said of the team's potential with Iverson on board. "We've just got to get everyone in synch."

All-Decade : By the Numbers

It was a decade that started with the Lakers winning a title and ended the same way. In between, the NBA served up 10 years worth of highlights, spectacular plays and individual drama. From now until All-Star Weekend, TNT will look back at the decade's signature moments and give you a chance to vote on the best. TNT All-Decade NBA will showcase the results on Sat., Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. ET.

For this vote, the best playoff dunk of the past decade. Here's a look at some postseason numbers:

Championships
1	L.A. Lakers	4
2	San Antonio	3
3	Boston	1
	Detroit	1
	Miami	1

Playoff Games Played
1	Derek Fisher	149
	Robert Horry	149
3	Kobe Bryant	147
4	Shaquille O'Neal	137
5	Bruce Bowen	135
	Lindsey Hunter	135
7	Tim Duncan	134
8	Chauncey Billups	133
9	Rasheed Wallace	132
	Ben Wallace	132

Playoff Minutes
1	Kobe Bryant	6,221
2	Shaquille O'Neal	5,310
3	Tim Duncan	5,261
4	Chauncey Billups	4,965
5	Richard Hamilton	4,799
6	Rasheed Wallace	4,657
7	Ben Wallace	4,525
8	Tony Parker	4,459
9	Tayshaun Prince	4,410
10	Derek Fisher	4,221

Postseason Wins
1	L.A. Lakers	98
2	San Antonio	83
3	Detroit	73
4	Dallas	47
5	New Jersey	43
6	Miami	42
7	Boston	39
8	Cleveland	36
	Indiana	36
10	Phoenix	33

Playoff Points
1	Kobe Bryant	4,053
2	Shaquille O'Neal	3,359
3	Tim Duncan	3,143
4	Dirk Nowitzki	2,472
5	Richard Hamilton	2,467
6	Chauncey Billups	2,357
7	Tony Parker	2,300
8	Rasheed Wallace	1,907
9	Allen Iverson	1,883
10	LeBron James	1,761

Playoff Rebounds
1	Tim Duncan	1,739
2	Shaquille O'Neal	1,717
3	Ben Wallace	1,454
4	Dirk Nowitzki	1,069
5	Rasheed Wallace	922
6	Kobe Bryant	802
7	Jason Kidd	796
8	Kevin Garnett	778
	Robert Horry	778
10	Shawn Marion	706

Secret to playing with Shaq? Kobe won't share it with LeBron

Conventional wisdom so far this season is that Shaquille O'Neal has been more of a hindrance than a help in LeBron James' quest for not only his second consecutive MVP award, but also the elusive title that will one day be required to cement his status as one of the best players ever.

The observations are varied and multiple. LeBron looks uncomfortable with Shaq on the floor, it's been said. Shaq clogs up the middle because he can't drift to the perimeter and shoot jumpers like Zydrunas Ilgauskus. Shaq refuses to defend the pick-and-roll and only occasionally runs the floor.

Was this a massive mistake by Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry, who should have studied the effect of the move previously made by good friend Steve Kerr?

Or will it eventually work out?

To get the answer, The Race decided to go straight to a few sources who have had more than their fair share of experience with The Big Conundrum: Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson.

If anybody knows how to play with and through Shaq in a successful fashion, it's Bryant, whose contentious relationship with O'Neal was (and continues to be) well-chronicled and dissected.

They did, however, win three titles together, now almost an afterthought in light of the messy divorce.

How, Kobe, can LeBron adjust his game to play with Shaq?

"I clearly know," Bryant said, a wisp of a smile crossing his lips. "But I'm not saying nothing, man."

C'mon, Kob, if anybody can understand what The King is going through, it's you, right?

"That's something that I had to figure out," Bryant said. "I figured it out. That's something that (LeBron) needs to do. I won't give him no (advice). I've given him enough already. That's enough."

The Race suspects Kobe was being more protective of his own sanity than overly competitive with LeBron i.e. he didn't want to get into another war of words with Shaq -- though Kobe was very good-natured about the whole thing, even asking if The Race represented a Cleveland newspaper during the Klieg light questioning

It was interesting, however, that Kobe did not deflect the blame away from Shaq, as his former coach did.

"I think they'll find combinations as they go along," Jackson said of the Cavaliers. "I think it's easy to point to their struggles as evidence of Shaq's presence, but I think it's more than that. There is more than just you can blame it on Shaq."

Such as?

"It's easy to say the middle is clogged up when he is in there. But when he comes out to set a pick, it is almost a double pick. There are a lot of advantages to having Shaq. Plus everybody's defense has to adjust to that. So there are some things there that the team will figure out with time. It is way to early to say anything definitively."

What are you seeing, Phil, that the average laymen doesn't see?

"The things I am privy too I probably want to keep to myself," he says. "But every player presents a lot of positives. Every player has their drawbacks. That is the nature of the game. You have to adjust to those things as a team.

"When I too over as the Lakers coach in 99, I saw Shaq turning to the baseline and shooting jump shots in the playoffs against San Antonio the year before, which was a direct line for Tim Duncan to get a layup at the other end. And so I had to get Shaq back to the middle and taking shots in the middle of the floor so that he can back on defense. It's just those kinds of things. Shaq is a coachable player; he'll be fine."

1. Kobe Bryant, Lakers (14-3)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
17	36.6	28.8	5.3	4.0	2.3	0.2	.489	.292	.857

Last Week's Rank - 2
There is a very good chance that the remainder of the season settles in this way, Kobe and LeBron flip-flopping between the top spot and No. 2 based on how their teams do collectively or how they do individually. In this case, Bryant earns his first seat in the throne for two reasons: His teams finds itself on a seven-game win streak and, well, he's really good. The win streak has as much to do with the return of Pau Gasol because Kobe continues to play at a high level. But Bryant is incorporating both Gasol and Andrew Bynum into the Lakers' offense, taking fewer shots but elevating his assist total in the last week.

2. LeBron James, Cavaliers (13-5)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
18	37.7	28.2	6.8	8.1	1.3	0.7	.518	.333	.783

Last Week's Rank - 1
The Race found it convenient that less than 12 hours after predicting that Shaquille O'Neal could be the one factor that stands in the way of James accumulating every honor out there for the foreseeable future, the Cavs dropped the first game in O'Neal's return from injury. However, they more than redeemed themselves when they forged victories over Dallas and then Phoenix, O'Neal's former team against which you knew he wanted revenge for sullying his reputation. James had 25 and 12 in the Dallas victory, then nearly had a triple-double of 12 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds vs. the Suns.

3. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavs (14-5)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
19	38.1	27.0	8.4	3.1	1.1	1.5	.473	.350	.888

Last Week's Rank - 4
If anybody can understand a bit of what Tiger Woods is going through, it's Nowitzki, who had an entire raft of domestic turmoil become public last year. The German seems to have put those issues behind him -- which were easier to do since he never married the girl -- and a weight seems to have been lifted from Nowitzki. He continues to play at an extremely high level, currently averaging career highs in points (27), assists (3.1) and blocks (1.3). Makes one wonder just how good Tiger can be once he gets past this mess.

4. Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets (14-5)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
19	36.0	30.2	5.9	3.4	1.4	0.3	.489	.353	.869

Last Week's Rank - 5
Anthony continues to be the only player in the league who has scored at least 20 points in each of the game in which he's participated this year. His worst game, in fact, may have come this week, a 22-point, three-rebound, one-assist effort in which he shot just 6-for-17. However, it came during a blowout victory over Dwyane Wade's Miami Heat, which came two days after a 28-point blowout of Golden State. Anthony has helped the Nugs win six of their past seven games and he continues to expand his arsenal. An interesting matchup comes this week, when the Nuggets and Anthony happen to face Philadelphia and newly acquired guard Allen Iverson, Anthony's former teammate.

5. Dwight Howard, Magic (15-4)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
19	32.6	18.2	12.3	1.5	1.0	1.8	.652	---	.568

Last Week's Rank - N/A
Howard has been oddly quiet this year, perhaps in part because he is trying to figure out how to mesh with three other quality players on the floor at the same time. He went two consecutive games without a block a few weeks back, unheard of for the defensive player of the year. But he has been a monster of late, recording 10 consecutive double-doubles, including a 25-point, 20-rebound, four-block effort in a win over Milwaukee last week, a game in which he actually took (and missed) a 3-pointer. The Magic have won nine of 10 to sit atop the East, and Howard's recent contributions should not go unnoticed.

6. Steve Nash, Suns (14-5)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
19	32.3	16.5	2.8	11.5	0.4	0.2	.523	.441	.944

Last Week's Rank - 3
The Suns and Nash have hit hard times, Phoenix getting thumped on back-to-back nights by New York -- yes, the Knicks -- and Cleveland in a matchup against Shaquille O'Neal. The Suns lost by an average of 22 points, and for only the third time this season Nash had back-to-back games of less than double-digit assists. He had a combined 10 turnovers to just 13 assists in those games, an unheard of ratio for him. The Suns get a likely reprieve against Sacramento on Saturday, but the next day they get the Lakers, against whom Nash had one of his worst games of the year.

7. Kevin Durant, Thunder (10-8)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
18	39.3	27.7	7.1	3.3	1.7	0.9	.457	.288	.867

Last Week's Rank - 10
Unlike Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings, who made a brief appearance in The Race, only to then shoot 30 percent and average 11 points less in his next five games, Durant has actually played better. Here is a statistical oddity with him, however: He is averaging a career-high 27.7 points a game, yet his 3-point percentage has gone from 42.2 percent last year to 28.8 percent this year, a significant drop-off -- which means he is required to score far more points inside the arc and at the free throw line. Coincidentally, it is the exact same 3-point percentage he had his rookie season, a difficult anomaly to achieve given the number of shots that are hoisted.

8. Dwyane Wade, Heat (10-8)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
18	38.3	26.7	5.1	5.7	1.9	1.1	.427	.250	.763

Last Week's Rank - 6
Wade obviously remains one of the league's top talents, but, like the Suns, the Heat is struggling. (What is it with the Thermal teams in the month of December? Somewhere in that question is a statistical analysis.) Miami has lost three of its last four and its record has dropped to 10-8. Wade has actually been pretty pedestrian in the recent stretch, and he has shot less than 50 percent from the field in nine of his last 11 games. The Race still doesn't think Wade has a great deal of talent around him; perhaps he – or his opponents -- is starting to realize that.

9. Tim Duncan, Spurs (9-7)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
14	31.9	18.4	11.1	3.6	0.4	2.0	.534	---	.739

Last Week's Rank - N/A
It is obvious that Duncan -- and this incarnation of the Spurs for that matter -- is in the twilight of his career. But after struggling early on, Duncan has manufactured some very impressive games of late, eclipsing 20 points in seven of his last nine games and allowing the Spurs to win five of their past six. He is shooting a career-high 54.9 percent from the field and his rebounds and assists both are up over a year ago. Keep an eye on Duncan as a sleeper -- but that is assuming his teammates remain healthy, a big part of his success at this point.

10. Brandon Roy, Blazers (12-8)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
20	37.0	20.0	4.5	5.2	0.6	0.2	.443	.342	.800

Last Week's Rank - 8
This spot could go to a number of people really, and Toronto's Chris Bosh deserves a mention somewhere along the way. But as well as Bosh is playing, The Race finds it difficult to consider among the MVPs a player on a team with a 7-13 record, which should be far better than that. Paul Pierce and Joe Johnson have been downright average, which means that Roy gets this spot almost by default. Roy actually had a very good statistically, averaging 23 points and six assists, but his Blazers are in the midst of a three-game losing streak. Monta Ellis's recent exploits also deserve a mention in here.

Defending champs on top at the quarter pole

The conclusion of Tuesday's games will officially put us at the one-quarter mark of the season: 307 games played. The question is: How much can you tell from six weeks of action?

Well, at this point last year, you had a pretty good picture of who you were going to be watching in the postseason. Fifteen of the 16 teams that eventually made the playoffs were in playoff position after six weeks. The Nets (11-8) were the only team to eventually fall out, replaced by the Sixers (9-12). (The Knicks also were tied with the Bulls for eighth.)

Two years ago, 14 of the 16 eventual playoff teams were in place after six weeks. Indiana and Golden State fell out, while Philadelphia and Houston rose up. Three years ago, the number was 13 of the 16.

Maybe if your a Sixers fan, you can be encouraged. They've been able to turn things around in each of the last two seasons. With the addition of Allen Iverson, they certainly have the talent to make the playoffs. And beyond the top four or five teams in the East, nobody seems all that strong these days.

But a look at the numbers tells you why teams feel safe to begin evaluating after 20 games, and why trade talk really starts to heat up at this time of year. There will certainly be some shuffling in the standings between now and April 14, but those teams that are lottery-bound right now are very likely to be on the stage in Secaucus come May.

• Last Week: The Cream Rises to the Top

Hero Team of the Week: New Jersey (1-2)
Zero Team of the Week: Indiana (0-4)

High jumps of the week: Memphis (+5), New York (+4), 3 teams (+2)
Free falls of the week: Phoenix (-5), Chicago (-4), Indiana (-3), Milwaukee (-3)

East vs. West: The West leads 59-39 (0.602) in inter-conference games and was 9-8 this week.

Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)
Off: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Def: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
The league averages through Sunday are 95.3 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes and 104.0 points scored per 100 possessions.

NBA.com's Power Rankings are just one man's opinion and are released every Monday during the season. If you've got an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail. You can also follow him on twitter.

	TEAM (LAST WEEK)	REC.	BREAKDOWN
1	L.A. Lakers (3)	16-3	Pace: 97.8 (6), Off: 105.6 (13), Def: 97.4 (3) The Lakers got lucky against the Heat on Friday, but have won nine straight games by an average of 15.3 points and they've still got two more home games before they finally hit the road. They're 16-0 when they score 99 points or more, and 0-3 when they don't.
2	Orlando (1)	16-4	Pace: 94.4 (18), Off: 108.4 (5), Def: 100.7 (7) The Magic don't force a lot of turnovers, but their opponents have shot just 42 percent. Orlando has won 10 of its last 11 games. And that's with Dwight Howard having blocked only 36 shots. Through 20 games last year, he had 82.
3	Boston (4)	16-4	Pace: 93.2 (27), Off: 107.5 (6), Def: 96.0 (1) An impressive 4-0 trip with wins in Miami, San Antonio and OKC puts the Celtics at 9-1 away from the TD Garden, shooting 51 percent on their seven-game streak. After they host the Bucks on Tuesday, they go back on the road for 10 of their next 14.
4	Denver (5)	15-5	Pace: 99.4 (3), Off: 111.2 (2), Def: 103.1 (13) A comeback win in San Antonio on Saturday makes up for the loss to the T-Wolves six days earlier. Carmelo Anthony's scoring is up 7.6 points despite poorer shooting from 3-point range. He's getting a career-high 8.6 points per game from the line.
5	Cleveland (7)	15-5	Pace: 93.5 (24), Off: 107.3 (7), Def: 99.3 (4) The Cavs have danced to four straight easy victories, allowing LeBron to be a distributor (averaging 10.8 assists) and Shaq to be a cheerleader (just 19.7 minutes) during the streak. Sunday's win in Milwaukee was their best defensive game of the season.
6	Atlanta (6)	14-6	Pace: 94.1 (20), Off: 109.6 (4), Def: 103.7 (16) The Hawks played their worst defensive game of the season in Friday's embarrassing home loss to the Knicks. One night later, they played their best defensive game in Dallas, beating the Mavs despite missing 20 straight shots at one point.
7	Phoenix (2)	15-6	Pace: 98.0 (5), Off: 112.1 (1), Def: 107.6 (24) When you're going to be visiting the Cavs and Lakers (both on the second night of back-to-backs) later in the week, you can't lay an egg in New York. The Suns are in their first funk with the Mavs, Magic, Nuggets, Spurs and Blazers up next.
8	Utah (9)	11-8	Pace: 93.8 (22), Off: 106.8 (9), Def: 104.3 (18) The Utah offense finally cooled off on Friday, but the Jazz were good enough defensively to beat the Pacers. They weren't on Saturday though, allowing the T-Wolves to shoot a season-high 57 percent. They've got the Spurs, Magic and Lakers (twice) this week.
9	Dallas (8)	14-7	Pace: 94.9 (15), Off: 106.2 (12), Def: 99.9 (5) The Mavs have lost two straight for the first time this season, as their offense took the weekend off, shooting 36 percent against the Grizzlies and Hawks. Their 25 field goals against Atlanta were the fewest they've made in their last 139 games.
10	Portland (10)	13-8	Pace: 90.0 (30), Off: 106.6 (10), Def: 100.7 (6) The loss of Greg Oden might be more devastating to the psyche than to the Blazers' ability to win games. More important is that Brandon Roy plays like Brandon Roy. The last few possessions of Saturday's win over Houston were a good start.
	TEAM (LAST WEEK)	REC.	BREAKDOWN
11	Houston (12)	11-9	Pace: 96.4 (9), Off: 105.0 (15), Def: 103.7 (15) Scoring 20-plus in five of his last seven games, Carl Landry is looking like a Sixth Man of the Year favorite. He's averaging 30.1 points (up from 20.9) and 11.3 boards per 48 minutes. Only Chris Bosh has higher per-minute averages in both categories.
12	Miami (14)	11-9	Pace: 93.5 (25), Off: 105.3 (14), Def: 103.2 (14) If it weren't for the luckiest shot Kobe Bryant has ever made, the Heat would have had a very impressive 3-1 trip out West. With five guys averaging double-figures on the trip, Miami's offense was stronger (115.6 rating) than it's been all season.
13	San Antonio (11)	9-8	Pace: 93.8 (23), Off: 106.2 (11), Def: 102.2 (12) Gregg Popovich has said that his new players need to adjust to the system, but at what point do we say that the Spurs just aren't a title contender? They've committed 15 turnovers or more nine times already this season, just six shy of last season's mark.
14	Oklahoma City (13)	10-9	Pace: 94.2 (19), Off: 102.2 (21), Def: 101.2 (8) The Thunder are in the midst of a stretch where they play only three games in 11 days. They struggled defensively in their two games this week, but earned a split by playing their best offensive game of the season (117 points on 92 possessions) against Philly.
15	Sacramento (16)	9-10	Pace: 97.2 (8), Off: 106.9 (8), Def: 108.3 (25) Thanks to their schedule, the Kings are the streakiest team of the season. They're 7-2 against teams under .500 and 2-8 against teams at .500-plus. That includes losses over the weekend to Miami and Phoenix, where they struggled defensively.
16	New Orleans (17)	8-11	Pace: 94.9 (14), Off: 103.4 (20), Def: 107.4 (23) The Hornets went 4-4 without Chris Paul. He put up a ridiculous line of 16 points, six boards, 15 dimes and eight steals in his return against the T-Wolves. But in order to start thinking playoffs, this team needs to get more consistent defensively.
17	Memphis (22)	8-12	Pace: 96.0 (11), Off: 103.9 (18), Def: 109.2 (28) At 7-4 since Nov. 14, the Grizzlies have been the sixth best team in the Western Conference. And in two of the losses, they had fourth-quarter leads. Friday's win over the Mavs started a string in which they play seven of nine games at home, where they're 5-3.
18	Milwaukee (15)	9-10	Pace: 96.2 (10), Off: 100.4 (25), Def: 101.8 (11) Andrew Bogut put up 22 and 15 in his return on Monday, but has struggled since. The Bucks have now lost seven of their last eight, with Brandon Jennings shooting 32 percent during that stretch and with the defense unable to return to form.
19	L.A. Clippers (19)	9-11	Pace: 94.7 (17), Off: 100.8 (24), Def: 101.7 (10) A light, two-game week saw the Clippers average 86.5 points, but get a win when they held the Pacers to just 72 on Saturday. Even on an extended homestand, they're inconsistent. They play just two games again this week, but they're against the Magic and Spurs.
20	Toronto (20)	9-13	Pace: 95.8 (12), Off: 109.8 (3), Def: 113.5 (30) Break up the Raptors! They've held two straight opponents to under 40 percent shooting and are somehow in playoff position. With the T-Wolves and Bucks up next, they may be able to get within shouting distance of the 29th ranked Warriors' defense.
	TEAM (LAST WEEK)	REC.	BREAKDOWN
21	Detroit (21)	8-12	Pace: 90.2 (29), Off: 101.9 (22), Def: 105.3 (21) The Pistons have won three of their last four, showing improvement defensively (101.3 rating) and on the boards (+10.3 differential per game). Rookie Jonas Jerebko has also been a spark, recording double-doubles in two of the wins.
22	Chicago (18)	7-11	Pace: 93.3 (26), Off: 97.2 (27), Def: 104.5 (19) I tied my shoes while writing this sentence, and the Bulls did nothing about it. What's worse than the Jarrett Jack episode is that they scored just 78 points against the Raptors' defense. Their own defense has been terrible (115.5 rating) over the last eight games.
23	Charlotte (23)	8-11	Pace: 92.1 (28), Off: 95.7 (28), Def: 97.3 (2) The Bobcats' four-game winning streak was snapped against the Celtics. Understandable. But Friday's loss to the Nets ... not so much. Turnovers are still a problem. They committed a total of 36 on Friday and Saturday, when they escaped with a win over Philly.
24	Washington (25)	7-12	Pace: 95.3 (13), Off: 100.9 (23), Def: 104.9 (20) The Wizards' offense showed some small signs of improvement, but they split four tight games against mediocre opponents this week. Antawn Jamison shot 8-for-30 over the weekend and Gilbert Arenas has scored fewer than 10 points in three of his last six.
25	New York (29)	6-15	Pace: 98.0 (4), Off: 103.9 (17), Def: 108.5 (26) The Knicks are 3-1 since Nate Robinson was removed from the rotation and they're 0-9 when he's played more than 13 minutes. But fans were chanting "We want Nate!" as they beat the Nets on Sunday. That might make sense if the Knicks had their draft pick.
26	Golden State (26)	6-13	Pace: 104.7 (1), Off: 103.9 (16), Def: 110.2 (29) Anthony Randolph had the best game of his career against Orlando and Monta Ellis averaged 29.3 points in four games this week, but the Warriors got just one win out of the four. They lost fourth-quarter leads to both the Rockets and Magic.
27	Indiana (24)	6-12	Pace: 99.6 (2), Off: 97.9 (26), Def: 101.7 (9) The Pacers' four-game trip out West couldn't have been more disastrous. They were barely competitive and Danny Granger reinjured his heel in Saturday's loss to the Clippers. An offensive rating of 95.8 since has erased the memory of their 5-3 start.
28	Minnesota (28)	3-17	Pace: 97.3 (7), Off: 94.7 (29), Def: 107.0 (22) Kevin Love has played just two games, but he's already got two double-doubles, twice as many threes (four) as he had last year and a win over a good team (Utah) that had won four straight. Imagine what he'll do when he starts playing normal minutes.
29	Philadelphia (27)	5-15	Pace: 93.8 (21), Off: 103.4 (19), Def: 108.8 (27) Not only have the Sixers lost nine straight games playing terrible defense, but their only victories are over the Bucks, Knicks, Nets and Bobcats. Not a quality win in the bunch. Still, the season starts on Monday, when The Answer returns.
30	New Jersey (30)	1-19	Pace: 94.8 (16), Off: 91.9 (30), Def: 103.9 (17) The Nets finally got off the schneid, and as they get guys back from injury, their offense is starting to pick up a little bit. One guy who's been healthy, Brook Lopez, is averaging 24.7 points and 10.5 boards over the last six games.

Disgraced ref tells '60 Minutes' he did not influence games

Disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy says he refused to make calls to affect games even if it meant he lost money and it angered the mob.

In one game where he bet on San Antonio, he ejected coach Gregg Popovich midway through the first quarter and the Spurs eventually lost the game. That drew the ire of the mob, which reportedly lost money using his tip.

"I just told them that I wasn't making calls in games to influence the outcome," Donaghy said in an interview on "60 Minutes" that aired Sunday night on CBS. "And I'm not going to be able to obviously predict the winner every night, and they have to accept that's what's going to happen."

Donaghy insisted he made wagers on NBA games based on his knowledge of other officials' biases for and against certain players and teams, and that his officiating was not compromised -- a claim that was backed up by the FBI.

"Watching the tapes, we could see there was never anything outlandish where he called a foul or he omitted a foul because he wanted to see a certain team win" retired FBI special agent Philip Scala told the news show. "We never saw that."

Donaghy made his wagers through a high school friend and used a code to indicate his picks.

"If I wanted them to bet the home team, I would discuss his brother Chuck," he said. "If I wanted him to bet the visiting team, I would mention his brother Johnny."

He claims he was winning 75 percent of the time, which drew the attention of the mob, which he said threatened his family to ensure he provided his insider picks to inform betting on games.

"They basically told me that I needed to give them the picks and if I didn't, that it's a possibility that somebody would go down and visit my wife and kids in Florida," he said.

His connection with the mob caught the attention of the FBI, which overheard something on a wiretap that led them to believe an NBA referee may be involved. After he was caught, Donaghy said he cooperated with investigators because he believed it was in his and his family's best interests.

Donaghy said he then received death threats to his home phone and is still worried about retribution from the mob.

"Certainly it's in the back of my mind, but I'm not going to live my life in fear," he said. "I was informed by the FBI agents that they certainly had an eye on what they called these wiseguys and that if anything would come up they would inform me immediately."

Following the airing of the interview, NBA commissioner David Stern released a statement saying any allegations about officials will be referred to Lawrence Pedowitz, a former investigator in the U.S. attorney's office who led a review of the league's officiating.

"Mr. Pedowitz's review revealed that the NBA's core values of neutrality and accountability were not compromised by anyone other than Mr. Donaghy," Stern said.

Oden undergoes season-ending knee surgery

Portland center Greg Oden underwent season-ending surgery on Sunday after breaking his left kneecap in the opening minutes of Portland's NBA victory over Houston the night before.

The disappointing finish just six weeks into the 2009-2010 campaign came as a result of a fall in the first quarter, with Oden taken off the court on a stretcher and set to miss yet another season of NBA drama.

Oden, the top pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, missed the 2007-2008 season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee. He missed 20 games last season, six with a right foot injury and 14 with a bone chip in his left knee.

Oden was averaging 11.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks this season as a starter and appeard set to finally ealize the promise seen in him as a youth.

"He did all the things he needed to do this summer to get himself ready for this year. He came back and showed the potential we felt he had," Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan said.

Blazers owner and Mirosoft mogul Paul Allen, who is battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma, was saddened to see Oden's early exit.

"That's the kind of thing you certainly hope doesn't happen. Greg was just really starting to come into his own," Allen said. "Hopefully they'll be able to repair the kneecap and he'll be in good shape."

Kevin Garnett and Carlos Boozer named Players of the Week

The Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett and the Utah Jazz's Carlos Boozer today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Nov. 30, through Sunday, Dec. 6.

Garnett led the Celtics to a 3-0 week on the road, averaging 19.7 points on .706 shooting from the field, 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. In 26 minutes against Charlotte on Dec. 1, Garnett scored 16 points and added seven rebounds and five assists, helping Boston to a 108-90 win. On Dec. 3, Garnett led the team with 23 points and eight rebounds in a 105-87 win over Oklahoma City, giving the Celtics their seventh straight win.

Boozer averaged 26.7 points on .627 shooting from the field, 13.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals, leading the Jazz to a 2-1 week. On Dec. 4, Boozer led the Jazz with 35 points and 13 rebounds in a 96-87 win over Indiana. Boozer has scored at least 21 points and shot at least .545 from the floor in each of Utah's last seven games. Boozer is one of only two players in the league to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season (Chris Bosh, Toronto).

Here is a recap of the week for Garnett and Boozer:

Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics

Dec. 1 @ Charlotte: Posted 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a 108-90 win over the Bobcats.

Dec. 3 @ San Antonio: Scored 20 points to go along with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals in a 90-83 win over the Spurs.

Dec. 4 @ Oklahoma City: Tallied 23 points, eight rebounds and three assists in a 105-87 win over the Thunder.

Carlos Boozer, Utah Jazz

Nov. 30 vs. Memphis: Tallied 24 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and three steals in a 120-93 win over the Grizzlies.

Dec. 4 vs. Indiana: Poured in 35 points and added 13 rebounds and two assists in a 96-87 win over the Pacers.

Dec. 5 @ Minnesota: Tallied 21 points, 13 rebounds and two assists in a 108-101 loss to the Timberwolves.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Atlanta's Joe Johnson, Charlotte's Raymond Felton, Cleveland's LeBron James, Denver's Carmelo Anthony, Detroit's Rodney Stuckey, Memphis' Zach Randolph, Miami's Dwyane Wade, New York's Al Harrington and Orlando's Rashard Lewis.

Reality series 'Basketball Wives' set for VH1

A VH1 reality series that promises an inside look at the lives of NBA players' wives and girlfriends is set to air early next year.

VH1 said Monday that "Basketball Wives" will show the upside of the women's lives -- big homes, designer clothes and jewelry -- and the drawbacks, including worries about whether their husbands are being faithful on roadtrips.

Shaquille O'Neal's wife, Shaunie, will be featured and is an executive producer. Others taking part are Eric Williams' wife, Jennifer, and Mesha O'Neal, married to Jermaine O'Neal.

Royce Reed, who has a 2-year-old son with Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, also will be part of the series, according to a news release from VH1.

But Howard's name isn't mentioned in the release, and VH1 spokesman Scott Acord declined to say why, adding, "You'll have to watch the show to find out."

Howard obtained a court injunction barring Reed from using his name or referring to him indirectly, either orally or in writing, according to a Dec. 1 report from entertainment site TMZ.

VH1 executive Jeff Olde, in announcing the series, noted the public's fascination with the wives of star athletes.

Tiger Woods' wife is in the spotlight now over his recent car accident and his alleged extramarital affairs.

Basketball Wives debuts March 15.

Emotional Allen Iverson marks Philly return

The A.I. Show took center stage again in Philly.

And the early returns have Philadelphia 76ers fans in love with the revival as much as the original.

All Allen Iverson needs to do now is help the Sixers win. Iverson scored 11 points on 4-for-11 shooting and had six assists in Philadelphia's 10th straight loss, 93-83 to Denver on Monday night.

"I had chill-bumps running all through my body the whole game," Iverson said. "It just felt good to be back."

Iverson took a familiar route to the Wachovia Center for his first game since returning to the Sixers last week. He pulled in to the player's parking lot at 5:55 p.m., waving to fans who waited in the cold for a glimpse of one of the most polarizing athletes in Philadelphia's deep sports history.

He hit the court for warmups to the sound of fans screaming his name and holding "Welcome Home" signs. He took passes from his former 76ers backcourt teammate Aaron McKie, now an assistant coach.

He sank shot after shot to the delight of the crowd and broke out in a wide smile as they erupted in cheers.

"That was the best part of the night, just hearing these people's voices all over again," Iverson said.

Iverson was edited out of highlights and banished from the team in the week leading up to his acrimonious 2006 trade to Denver. But he got his own greatest hits montage on Monday and a sellout crowd of 20,664 stood and roared in approval.

There was an NBA finals electricity in the arena for a team that hasn't won a playoff series since 2003 and was 29th in attendance. The Sixers averaged a measly 11,965 fans in their first eight home games.

But Iverson received a standing ovation when he left in the fourth quarter.

He was introduced fourth, bowed and kissed the logo at midcourt, then joined his teammates for a little dance. Iverson gave a friendly point to former coach George Karl and hugged ex-teammate Carmelo Anthony.

He missed his first shot, a makable layup early in the first quarter.

"I did the best I could," Iverson said. "My heart said yes, but my body said no. My legs were weak, my arms were weak."

Iverson has time to work his way back into shape. Coach Eddie Jordan said Iverson may start the rest of the season for the struggling Sixers.

"I feel like I am home," Iverson said. "Just seeing people I'm accustomed to seeing, seeing the reporters, seeing some of the fans when I go out to eat. Just the smell of Philadelphia when I go outside."

Iverson's not sure how many minutes he can play because of his limited basketball activity over the past year. His stint in Detroit was cut short because of a back injury, and he played only three games for Memphis this season.

Iverson played 37 minutes but has some concerns about playing in game condition.

"If I can't get my scoring on like I want to, I just want to do other things on the basketball court that will help us win," Iverson said.

The Sixers hope Iverson can lead them back into the win column Wednesday against another one of his former teams, Detroit.

Karl, who had Iverson for two-plus seasons in Denver, said he was surprised Iverson was back with the Sixers.

"I was thinking it would be a team trying to win a championship that needed points," he said. "He always had a love affair with the city and he took them on an incredible run."

Iverson always considered Philly home and dreamed of a return to the team he led to the 2001 NBA finals.

"In your dreams, you always hope for the best," he said. "That's what I'm doing. I love these people here. They know that. They love me back. Hopefully, it'll just be a great experience."

Iverson broke down in tears at his press conference after he signed a non-guaranteed deal with the 76ers last week.

Chairman Ed Snider said before the game Iverson was starting with a clean slate.

"I think he's learned a lesson and so have we," Snider said. "I've learned that he's on a tight leash."

Not everything was the same for Iverson. He once occupied two or three of the end stalls in the 76ers' locker room. Iverson's new locker was sandwiched like a rookie between Jason Smith and Rodney Carney.

Jordan said he envisioned eventually pairing Iverson with injured point guard Lou Williams in the backcourt. Williams is out about six more weeks with a broken jaw. His injury sparked 76ers management to consider bringing back Iverson.

Iverson believes the Sixers can jump back into playoff contention.

"It's just going to take some time and I have to get back into a rhythm," he said.

The importance of being Allen Iverson

Ann Iverson, his mother, wasn't there and Tawanna Iverson, his wife, had a doctor's appointment, and the 11-year-old son preferred waiting for him at home, ready to tell him how lousy he'd played. His longtime personal manager/football coach/father figure/friend of friends, Gary Moore, was sitting courtside, next to Ed Snider, the man who'd sent him into exile three years ago--mutually assured destruction achieved, as the player drifted in and out of towns like a carny working by the docks, and the team floundered into utter, utter irrelevance. But otherwise, Allen Iverson was pretty much alone when he came onto the Wachovia Center court Monday, knelt and kissed the hardwood, just as he had when he'd worn the uniform of the Denver Nuggets in 2008 and come back to town.

Closure.

Real closure.

He was back in the home white of the Philadelphia 76ers, 34 years old and not sure if this is going to be his last year or not in the NBA. If it is, he can live with it, because the ending, now, makes sense.

Allen Iverson in Memphis Grizzlies Blue didn't make sense.

"Words can't describe it," Iverson said after the 76ers ran out of gas in the fourth quarter Monday and dropped a 93-83 game to the Nuggets, Philadelphia's 10th straight loss. "I've been to other cities, played in Denver, and the people embraced me. I had fans there. I had a good life there. But it will never be, for me and my career, like this place."

This is not about basketball -- well, not just about basketball. Iverson will no more will the 76ers to the playoffs than elephants will tap dance, because he isn't a kid anymore and he can't summon those kinds of nights anymore, when he shot and shot and shot the ball until his team won, and there were four other guys on the court that were perfectly willing to watch him while they played defense and rebounded. These Sixers have an All-Star worthy player in Andre Iguodala, and an $80 million investment in Elton Brand, and whatever Philadelphia does this season will be determined by those two more than anyone. (Iguodala is also dressing in Iverson's old locker, the biggest one, nearest the hallway by the coach's office. "He hasn't offered anything yet," Iguodala said before tipoff, "but everything is up for negotation. Shoot, it's Christmas.")

But Iverson has never been just about basketball.

This is the part I want to get right. I hope I do.

Allen Iverson is just as important to the history of this league as Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson and Wilt Chamberlain.

He was the symbol of this league for almost a decade, the engine that drove it after Jordan retired for good (we thought) in Chicago. That wasn't always positive, and it wasn't always aesthetically pleasing to the hoops purist, because there were a lot of 9 for 31s in the deal. But it was real, and that deserves your respect. A whole generation of new jacks, from Brandon Jennings to Ty Lawson--the Nuggets rookie that blew by Iverson at will in the second half ("me, stay in front of him?," Iverson said afterward. "That kid is the fastest guy in the league")--idolized number 3 growing up. The guy with the tats and the braids and the crossover, who got this league from the Jordan Era to the LeBron Era, all 160 pounds of him.

That's the guy whose jersey was consistently the biggest seller of them all, whose trips abroad were scenes of chaos, the person for whom everyone would wait when he was, again, late for something (as he was Monday night, not arriving for the 7 p.m. tipoff until just before 6). No one of this generation--not LeBron, not Kobe, not D Wade--put butts in seats like Allen Iverson. Twenty thousand came out to see him Monday, the first sellout of the season--not the 5-15 team whose uniform he wore, not Iguodala, not Brand, not Eddie Jordan, not Carmelo Anthony or Chauncey Billups. Him.

They wore their T-shirts and held up their homemade signs (and they were mostly white, the not-so-secret secret of Iverson's appeal; you don't move as many shoes and jerseys as he has over the last 15 years by just selling in the 'hood), and Snider was sick as a dog, but damned if he wasn't going to be on hand for this, a night in the dead of winter when his team mattered in town again. The Flyers stink this year and the Phillies are beloved (but looking for still more starting pitching), and the Eagles are rounding into playoff shape, but there's no way that Donovan McNabb--one of a half-dozen or so Eagles in attendance Monday--has the impact in this town that Iverson does, even now.

There's a reason Patti LaBelle offered to sign the anthem in exchange for two tickets--although she ultimately passed, unable to get out of a prior engagement. There's a reason Cuttino Mobley materialized on the front row. There's a reason you couldn't hear the PA guy after he said, "a six-foot guard, from Georgetown, number 3," as the crowd roared and loosed itself, Iverson introduced next to last, leaving poor Iguodala to pick up the crumbs of dying applause.

David Letterman has this great saying about his own late father: when he came into a room, the lamps would rattle. That's Iverson.

"He represents the city of Philadelphia to a T--hard working, chip on his shoulder," said Iverson's once and current teammate, Willie Green.

Green was here when Iverson was at the top of his game, when the hotels would swell as the team's bus pulled up, as the restaurants would make way and clear tables out of the air for the team to eat. Rock star treatment, Green said, and not enviously, because he knew, and knows, what Iverson has meant and done, both locally and nationally, for the game.

"I always say, there are superstars, and there are megastars," Green said. "He's a megastar."

Of course Iverson made mistakes by the carload. He was an individual performer in a team sport--not selfish, but very hard to play with. Only a few NBA players could swallow their own ambitions that long. He didn't make many of his teammates that much better with his presence. His practice habits...well, you know. He stayed out too late too many nights, and he could be loud and profane--to management, to coaches--who didn't give him his way. I'm not saying he was the best player. I'm saying he was the show, the reason you tuned in, the reason you stayed and watched.

But in recent years, he's gone out of his way to acknowledge that he had rough patches. The best I've ever seen him was that first time back, when he was with Denver, when he spoke the media before the game and said he was to blame for him not being in Philly any more. He wasn't mad that night; he was wistful, like an adult looking back on his life, aware of the mistakes he made, and saddened by them. If he hadn't given the Sixers reasons galore to get rid of him, he said then, he could have finished his career here.

Now, he just might.

"These people here, they watched me become who I am," Iverson said Monday. "They watched me go through my ups and downs. They watched me go through my trendsetting stage. People don't forget that. Just like I wouldn't forget the impact that Michael Jordan had on me. I would never forget that. It would never go nowhere. I know who made me want to play basketball. Just like the song, 'I want to be like Mike'? I was one of those guys that wanted to be like Mike. It never goes away. When Mike came back, I was ecstatic about it."

I was overjoyed last year, at All-Star, when Iverson showed up without braids, his hair cut like it was when he was a teenager playing for John Thompson at Georgetown. This isn't a hair argument; I know the symbolism of braids and why people wore their hair in braids, I know, I know. But my daddy used to always tell me you don't see any old junkies for a reason, and I think you don't see men closer to their 40s than their 20s wearing braids for a reason. Time requires all of us to make accomodations with life.

But that's my worldview. Not his.

He was back in braids Monday night, and wearing the home white, and the Wachovia Center was packed to bursting, and the crowd was roaring, and if it wasn't because the fans believed the Sixers were going to win, or going anywhere, for that matter, or that Allen Iverson has a lot left in the tank, and even if they knew this was the beginning of the end, the end of his era, it would still do.