PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Allen Iverson couldn't resist when he saw
the burgundy and yellow shirt Willie Green put on after the game.
"That's an ugly shirt, Willie," Iverson shouted over a crowd
of reporters.
Iverson couldn't say anything negative about Green's performance
on the court.
Iverson had 31 points and 10 rebounds, and Green scored all of
his season-high 17 points in the final 16 minutes, helping the
Philadelphia 76ers overcome an 18-point second-half deficit in a
110-102 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night.
"He showed a lot. He proved a lot to me in how strong he is as
a person and a basketball player," Iverson said of Green, who
hadn't played the last two games.
"It made me feel good to be his teammate. He could've easily
put his head between his legs and when it was time for him to be
called on, he might not have been ready. But he was ready. He gave
us a lift we always knew he could."
Andre Iguodala scored 16 and Samuel Dalembert had 10 points and
11 rebounds for the Sixers, who have won three straight after
losing six in a row.
Carmelo Anthony scored 29 and Kenyon Martin had a season-high 25
points for Denver, which has lost two straight after winning four
in a row.
"You have to play 48 minutes. We got too comfortable and full
of ourselves," Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik said.
The Sixers, who trailed by 18 when Green entered the game for
the first time with 3:46 left in the third quarter, took an 87-86
lead on Green's driving layup 3 minutes into the fourth. Iverson
made a free throw following a technical foul on Andre Miller, stole
a pass and made a layup, and Iguodala got another layup, capping a
13-0 run that put Philadelphia ahead 92-86.
After the Nuggets got within 92-90, the Sixers went on a 9-1
run. Iguodala's 3-pointer gave Philadelphia a 101-91 lead with 5:04
left.
Denver didn't get closer than six points until the final minute.
"I just wanted to do something to spark the team," Green said.
"It's always good to come in and help the team win a game."
Iverson, who complained his head was spinning after taking a
hard shot early in the third quarter, fell two assists short of a
triple-double. He shot 11-of-23, and made 9 of 10 free throws.
Green, a starter for seven games this season, didn't complain
about his lack of playing time, while Sixers coach Jim O'Brien
insisted the second-year pro hadn't done anything wrong.
Green shot 4-of-5 from the floor and 8-of-9 at the foul line.
"You don't know when your number will be called," Green said.
"You just have to be ready. That's part of being a professional. I
took it as a challenge. I thought Coach was challenging me to take
my game to another level."
Anthony gave Denver its biggest lead, 77-59, on a sensational
one-handed dunk off an alley-oop pass from Martin at the top of the
circle.
But the Sixers responded with a 17-4 run to end the third
quarter down 81-76. Green scored eight points in that span. A
three-point play by Iverson cut it to 81-79 at the start of the
fourth, and a 3-pointer by Green made it 86-85.
The teams were tied 16 times in the first half before the
Nuggets went on a 13-1 run, taking a 55-42 lead. Anthony began the
run with a pair of 3-pointers, Greg Buckner added a 3 and Camby
finished it with a jumper.
Denver led 56-46 at halftime, getting 15 points off 14 turnovers
by the Sixers, who trailed despite shooting 55.6 percent.
"Green basically brought the team back himself," Camby said.
"This is a bad loss."<
^Notes: Sixers F Kenny Thomas sat out with the flu. Corliss
Williamson took his spot in the starting lineup after missing two
games with a knee injury. ... Nuggets F Nene didn't play because of
a bruised right hip. ... Denver continues its seven-game road trip
at Boston on Wednesday night. ... Buckner, who spent the last two
seasons with the Sixers, had eight points and five assists.
^------=
On the Net:
Denver Nuggets: http://www.nba.com/nuggets
Philadelphia Sixers: http://www.nba.com/sixers
National Basketball Association: http://www.nba.com