01-03-2020, 06:32 AM
PHILADELPHIA -- Allen Iverson cupped his hand to his left ear and asked to hear his favourite tune one more time. With that command, 20,000 roaring Philadelphia 76ers fans gave AI the standing ovation he earned by stamping himself as one of the franchises all-time greats. Iverson, emotional as he thanked former teammates and friends, had his No. 3 retired at halftime of Saturdays game against Washington. High above the Wells Fargo Center court, Iversons banner slipped between Maurice Cheeks No. 10 and Charles Barkleys No. 34. "They all wanted me to talk about how much yall loved me," Iverson said, "but trust me, the feeling was mutual." Iverson officially retired in October after last playing in 2010. He won four scoring titles for the Sixers and was the 2001 MVP when he led them to the NBA Finals. He never won a championship, the lone omission in a career that is destined for the Hall of Fame. The Sixers may as well have turned the arena into an AI museum. Four banners greeted fans at the main concourse entrance, and photos of him were plastered all around the arena. The merchandise stands sold Iverson jerseys for $130, and lower level tickets were going for as much for $1,280 on Stubhub about an hour before the 7:30 p.m. tipoff. The fans loved him, and he blew them kisses after the No. 3 was raised to show how much he loved them back. "I am Philly," Iverson said. "Its always going to be that way." Iversons return injected a rare dose of excitement into a franchise playing some of the worst basketball in the league. The Sixers, in full-blown rebuilding mode, had lost 12 straight entering Saturdays game. The losing didnt matter much Saturday, just the memories. The Sixers wore special "Iverson Forever" patches on their jerseys and Iversons 3 on their pregame warmup shirts. "Its a great example of how this city responds to somebody that they clearly think the world of and brought such exciting times to the city of Philadelphia," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. The Sixers retirement gift was a boat named in honour of his nickname, "The Answer." "It feels good," Iverson said after the ceremony, "but some part of my heart hurts because I know its over." Iverson joined Cheeks, Barkley, Wilt Chamberlain and Julius Erving among the eight retired numbers in franchise history. Erving attended the ceremony. Moses Malone, Dikembe Mutombo, Theo Ratliff, Gary Payton and former team president Pat Croce also were at the celebration. Former coach Larry Brown, who both clashed with and loved Iverson over their tenure, sent a videotaped message. "I just want to tell you, and I say this fondly: God put me there to coach you," Brown said. Iverson said Brown was the player who moulded him into one of the NBAs best. "I always had raw talent," he said. "I needed Larry Brown to polish it up." Iverson was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 draft and spent his first 10 seasons in Philadelphia. He also played for Denver, Detroit, and Memphis before returning to Philadelphia for a 25-game stint in 2009-10. Iverson, who mashed hip-hop culture and hoops like no player before him, was perhaps at his peak in his fifth NBA season. The 165-pound guard averaged 31.1 points, was the MVP of the All-Star game and propped an entire franchise on his 6-foot frame all the way to the finals. Led by Brown, the Sixers needed Game 7 wins in consecutive series for the right to play the Lakers. Shaquille ONeal, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers swept their way through the post-season before Game 1 in Los Angeles. Iverson had 48 points in 52 minutes of an overtime victory. The Sixers didnt have enough to go the distance and the Lakers won the next four games. Hes 21st on the NBAs career scoring list with 24,368 points over 914 career games. Iverson, drafted out of Georgetown, scored 30-plus points 345 times and was an 11-time All-Star. His No. 3 jersey was a bestseller around the globe, the headband wrapped snugly around his cornrows, and the tattoos were as much a part of his image as the way he ricochets around the court. Play every game like it was his last was more than a catchphrase, it was a lifestyle. "Who could not be an Allen Iverson fan?" said Thaddeus Young, the lone current Sixers player who played with Iverson. "It got no bigger than him in Philadelphia." NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was at the game for AIs night. "Allen was a special player," Silver said before the game. "The great things he did for the league far outweigh the occasional headache. I always thought even at the time of Allen Iversons prominence in the league, he was representative of his generation." Wholesale Air Max 270 . His chance at winning a Stanley Cup in Philadelphia is over. Same with Jeff Carter. And Brian Boucher. Throw in Ville Leino and Dan Carcillo. Air Max 270 Outlet Store . - The situation looked bleak at best for the coach Doc Rivers Clippers — down by four points with 18 seconds left in the fourth quarter. http://www.discountaustraliashoes.com/ch...-fake.html . -- The Grand Rapids Griffins scored three goals in 33 seconds of the second period en route to defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs 6-1 in American Hockey League action on Friday. Discount Air Max 95 Australia . - The Denver Broncos kept rookie wide receiver Tavarres King from joining the Green Bay Packers by promoting him to their active roster Tuesday. New Balance Outlet Store . Calgary finished atop the CFL standings with a 14-4 record and earned the right to host the West Division final at McMahon Stadium on Nov. ST. LOUIS -- Jonathan Toews caught the St. Louis Blues defence napping after the Chicago Blackhawks got a lucky carom. Just like that, the puck was in the net and the defending Stanley Cup champions were in command of the first-round series. "I wasnt even sure where their D-men were," Toews said after scoring at 7:36 of overtime to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 victory Friday night and a 3-2 series lead. "Just got going as fast as I could. Take advantage of a chance." Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford stopped a shot by David Backes, defenceman Duncan Keith cleared the puck and the rebound deflected off Andrew Shaws shin pad all the way to the Chicago captain alone at centre ice off a change. Toews sped in with two defencemen in futile pursuit and threw a few fakes at goalie Ryan Miller before slipping a backhander into the net. "I was just saying to some of the guys in the other room, Im trying to get the puck out of the zone and all of a sudden it lands on his stick," Keith said. "Couldnt believe it. So, I was pretty happy seeing that." St. Louis defenceman Roman Polak saw Toews coming off the bench but reasoned that the Blues had control, so he left the ice about the same time Backes was shooting. Replacement Jay Bouwmeester never had a chance and Toews also got behind Jordan Leopold. "It was a lucky bounce or something," Polak said. "It was just a lucky bounce." Marian Hossa and Ben Smith also scored for the Blackhawks, who have won three in a row and can wrap up the first-round series at home Sunday. Four of the first five games in the series have gone to overtime. "I think we got lucky on that winning goal, but I dont think that at the end of the day we win because of luck," Keith said. "I think both teams have a lot of fire and grit and a lot of determination, and its a fine line between winning and losing. "Like Ive said a few times, were going to need our best game of the year our next game." T.J. Oshie and Alex Pietrangelo scored for the Blues. "Whats pouting going to do?" St. Louis forward Alexander Steen said. "You just get back on the horse. Its a game. You have to win four. Theyy have three, we have two.dddddddddddd Off to Chicago we go. See you there." All three of the Blues home games went to overtime and St. Louis won the first two. Before Toews scored, the top offensive threats in the series had been neutralized in Game 5. Patrick Kane and Toews combined for one assist in regulation and the Blues Vladimir Tarasenko, who entered with an NHL-leading four goals in the playoffs, was held to two shots. The first four goals came from players scoring for the first time in the series. Pietrangelo entered averaging more than 31 minutes in the series, most on either team, but has been a reluctant shooter with five shots in the first four games. His second career playoff goal came on a 2-on-1 break with Jaden Schwartz with the teams at 4-on-4 to tie it at 2 early in the third. Backes returned for the Blues while Blackhawks defenceman Brent Seabrook finished a three-game suspension from the illegal hit that knocked the St. Louis captain woozy in Game 2. But the Blues didnt make the most of that emotional lift early, getting their first scoring chance at about the 12-minute mark, totalling one shot on two early power plays and trailing 1-0 after the first. The Blackhawks started the scoring for the third straight game, capitalizing when Polak got caught pinching at the blue line. Bryan Bickell led a 2-on-1 break and Hossa tapped his own rebound into a wide open net at 16:11 of the first period. On his knees, Oshie lifted a backhander over Crawfords stick to tie it at 11:04 of the second period. Six minutes later, Smith tapped in a backhander after a St. Louis defender stopped Sheldon Brookbanks slap shot from the point. NOTES: All three games in St. Louis have attracted standing room crowds, with 19,796 showing up on a busy sports night downtown with the defending National League champion Cardinals playing the Pirates a few blocks east. ... Oshie totalled three shots and was minus-3 his first three games back from an illegal check to the head late in the regular season from Minnesotas Brian Rupp, who was suspended four games. Oshie said Thursday he might have returned a game too soon. ... Hossa entered second in the playoffs with 21 shots but was held to one assist the first four games. ' ' '