The road to the NBA Finals in the Eastern Conference goes through First Union Center.
With Allen Iverson firing away from the outside and scoring 37 points and Dikembe Mutombo patrolling the paint with 18 rebounds and seven blocked shots, the Philadelphia 76ers posted a 108-95 victory over Boston, severely damaging the Celtics' playoff hopes.
The 76ers (54-23) clinched first place in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 1982-83, when they won their last NBA title with Moses Malone and Julius Erving.
"The last team that won the East was so long ago," Iverson said. "The players were so much different, the game was so much different. It was more physical then. It's physical now, but it was a lot more physical then because you could do a lot more things with your hands. It's sweeter right now because I'm part of it. I'm happy for my teammates, my coaches and the fans of Philadelphia."
The San Antonio Spurs own the top record in the NBA at 55-22, one game ahead of Philadelphia.
"I'm thrilled that we won the conference and the division, that's an accomplishment," said Sixers coach Larry Brown. "I don't think we could be any prouder of our team. We won the first two series the last two years without the homecourt, so I don't think we could take anything for granted. We just have to keep trying to play better and try to improve."
The loss dropped Boston (35-43) 2 1/2 games behind Indiana (36-40) for the eighth spot. The Pacers rolled to a 100-78 rout of the Washington Wizards on Monday.
The Celtics again proved to be no match against a team they would face in the first round. Boston has lost six straight meetings with Philadelphia, including all four this season.
The Sixers scored the first eight points of the game, built a 14-point advantage at halftime, led by as many as 19 after three quarters and outrebounded the Celtics, 52-30.
"They killed us on the boards," said Celtics coach Jim O'Brien. "We had nobody to contend with Mutombo tonight. We were actually just trying to tip it away from him instead of just grabbing it. That just didn't work out."
Once again, it was Antoine Walker, Paul Pierce and little else for the Celtics, who lost for the fifth time in seven games. Walker scored 26 points and Pierce finished with 23.
Iverson returned after sitting out two straight games with tailbone and hip ailments and hit 13-of-33 shots from the field and 10-of-12 from the free throw line.
"It is tough to really stop a guy like him, you just try to slow him down," Pierce said. "We didn't do much of that either. They just killed us on the boards and got to every loose ball."
Iverson cranked up 16 shots in the first quarter alone and scored 14 points as the Sixers held a 28-24 lead.
George Lynch and Aaron McKie combined for 15 in the second quarter when the Sixers outscored the Celtics, 30-20. Iverson had just four points in the quarter.
Six different players contributed as the Sixers closed the half with a 15-6 run to increase their lead to 58-44.
Jumaine Jones ignited the spurt with a 16-foot jumper, Iverson converted a pair of free throws and Lynch hit a short jumper. Mutombo, who finished with 12 points, followed with a driving hook, Eric Snow hit a 15-footer, McKie connected on a 3-pointer and Lynch capped the run with a layup.
The Celtics opened the second half with a 10-3 spurt as Walker connected on a pair of 3-pointers, pulling them within 71-64.
But Philadelphia closed the quarter with a 16-6 run, opening an 86-67 lead. Iverson highlighted the spurt with three jumpers and a free throw.
Boston pulled no closer than nine in the fourth quarter. But after Walker connected on a 3-pointer to cut Philadelphia's lead to 98-89 with 2:45 left, Snow and Tyrone Hill hit short jumpers to seal the win.
Hill finished with 16 points and McKie added 13.
"It just goes to show you that good things can happen when you work hard and everyone's playing together," Hill said. "With everything we've been through, the adversity, injuries and stuff like that, you can't ask for much more."
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Kyrie Irving set an NBA season high and a career high by scoring 57 points in the Cavaliers' 128-125 overtime victory over the Spurs in San Antonio on Thursday.
This was a case of Cleveland's three-time All-Star saving his best for last. Irving scored nine points in the final minute of regulation, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer to force overtime, and added 11 more in the extra period.
All told, he scored 15 consecutive points as the Cavaliers erased a 108-101 deficit in the final minute of the fourth quarter. The shocking rally was aided by two missed free throws by Kawhi Leonard with just seconds to go in regulation.
"I just couldn't have done it without my teammates," Irving told reporters. "Shots were going in. I was getting open, and during the end of the game we never gave up. ... A few of those shots, I just threw them up at the rim, and I was lucky enough and blessed enough that they went in."
Here are a few notes about Irving's record-setting night.
Irving's 57 points surpassed his previous career high of 55 points, set in a Jan. 28 victory over the Blazers, which stood as the NBA's previous highest-scoring output during the 2014-15 season.
Irving's 57 points set a Cavaliers franchise record, surpassing LeBron James, who scored 56 points against the Raptors on March 20, 2005.
Irving becomes the first player this season to score 50+ points on multiple occasions. Warriors guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, and Timberwolves guard Mo Williams are the only other players to top 50 points in a game this season.
Irving becomes the first player since Lakers guard Kobe Bryant to score 55+ points multiple times in the same season. Bryant accomplished the feat three times during the 2006-07 season.
Irving joins Bryant (2005-06 and 2006-07) and Michael Jordan (1992-93) as the only players to score 55+ points multiple times in the same season since the 1990-91 season.
Irving joins Thunder forward Kevin Durant as the only players to score 50+ points multiple times in the same season since 2009-10. Durant accomplished the feat twice last year.
"I thought he was pretty decent," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Kyrie Irving was unstoppable. I don’t know how to guard that. He did a hell of a job. We all know how talented he is, but he really went to a new level tonight. He had a hell of a night and that talent just got us."
James added 31 points, seven assists and five rebounds for the Cavaliers.
Tony Parker led the Spurs with 31 points, six assists and five rebounds. Danny Green and Leonard each added 24 points.
Cleveland improved to 42-25. San Antonio dropped to 40-24.
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Through All-Star games, an MVP award and a trip to the NBA Finals, there was something missing in Allen Iverson's career. A perfect ending.
Iverson sank the first buzzer-beating shot of his nine-year career, a 14-footer in overtime, and scored 15 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 106-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
"It's a great feeling to hit a shot with no time on the clock," said Iverson, who sank a halfcourt winner for the U.S. Olympic team against Germany in an exhibition game.
Iverson is getting used to dramatic shots.
He sent a game into overtime in the final seconds earlier this week, then didn't lose confidence against the Pacers even as he struggled with his shot. He played 44 minutes, but went just 5-for-23 from the floor.
"I just couldn't get in no type of rhythm," Iverson said. "I couldn't get warm. I couldn't feel my hands the whole game."
He was hot when it mattered, though, as Iverson took the ball the length of the court and beat the short-handed Pacers with a shot from just above the free throw line over Eddie Gill.
"His shots didn't fall until the last one, and who cares about the others?" coach Jim O'Brien said.
Kyle Korver made seven 3-pointers and scored a career-high 23 points, Marc Jackson had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and John Salmons and Corliss Williamson each scored 15 points for the Sixers.
Korver capped Philadelphia's furious fourth-quarter comeback with a 3 from the top of the key with 3.6 seconds left, tying it 100-all.
"I knew we needed a 3, so I just backed up and took it," Korver said.
The win spoiled the return of Indiana's Ron Artest, benched for two games for asking for time off because of his busy schedule -- including producing an R&B album and working on his side career as a rapper. Coach Rick Carlisle said Artest "compromised the integrity of the team."
Artest scored 29 points and had a flagrant foul late in the fourth quarter, Jermaine O'Neal had a career-high 39 points, and Stephen Jackson 17 for Indiana. Artest and O'Neal combined for a 24-for-38 effort.
"If you try to do the right things, good things happen to you," Artest said. "I think everything happens for a reason. Nobody got hurt. There's a bunch of good people on this team."
Artest's return helped offset the absences of center Scot Pollard (sore back), forward Jonathan Bender (viral infection), guard Fred Jones (quad strain) and center John Edwards (personal reasons).
With Reggie Miller (hand), Anthony Johnson (hand) and Jeff Foster (hip) also out, the Pacers only had eight players available.
In overtime, they were down to five.
The Pacers lost O'Neal, who gave the Pacers a 102-100 lead on the first play of OT, when he fouled out after reaching in on Iverson on the next possession. Jamaal Tinsley (10 assists) and David Harrison also fouled out in overtime.
Four Pacers starters played at least 40 minutes through regulation while Iverson was the only Sixer to do so. Korver hit three contested 3s and scored 11 points in the fourth to rally Philadelphia from a 17-point deficit in the third quarter.
Seldom-used James Jones took the last shot for Indiana in OT, but Artest said he should have had the ball.
"We have confidence in all our teammates," Artest said. "If JJ was open, he would have knocked that shot down. I should have took that last shot."
While Artest was gone, the Pacers suffered a 102-68 loss Wednesday to the Clippers, the worst home loss in franchise history.
But with O'Neal and Artest getting along on the court -- after getting into a locker room shouting match last week -- the Pacers hardly needed anyone else. Artest instantly put the distractions of the past week behind him, tuning out the taunts of the fans to score 16 points in the first half.
Korver had the oddest play of the game in the first quarter when he attempted to pass the ball -- it looked like an alley-oop -- to Kenny Thomas, but the pass went in for a 3-pointer.
Game notes
Sixers G Aaron McKie was placed on the injured list with a strained left rotator cuff. He is expected to miss seven to 10 days. The 76ers also activated guards Kevin Ollie and John Salmons and placed guard Kendrick Brown (low back strain) on injured reserve. F Glenn Robinson remained on the injured list and is in Chicago tending to a family matter. C Samuel Dalembert (hamstring) missed his fourth straight game ... Harrison's dad, Dennis, was a defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles. ... The Sixers won consecutive overtime games for the first time since 1993.
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