Allen Iverson (Part 3)

FHsC...wktn
10 Mar 2024
56

Allen Iverson (Part 3)



The 2001–2002 season for the Philadelphia 76ers began with high expectations after their recent trip to the NBA Finals. However, the team faced challenges, including injuries and roster changes, leading to a mediocre 43–39 record.
Despite these obstacles, Allen Iverson continued to excel on the court, averaging an impressive 31.4 points per game and earning his second consecutive scoring title. However, the team's struggles extended into the playoffs, where they were defeated by the Boston Celtics in the first round.
During this season, Iverson made headlines with his infamous "practice" rant, in which he expressed frustration over criticism for missing team practices. His impassioned remarks became a memorable moment in NBA history.


The following season, the Sixers faced more difficulties, including the departure of key players and changes in coaching staff. Despite these challenges, Iverson's outstanding performance helped the team secure a playoff berth with a 48–34 record. However, they were eliminated in the second round by the Detroit Pistons.
Following the playoff loss, head coach Larry Brown departed from the 76ers. Despite their differences, both Iverson and Brown expressed mutual respect and fondness for each other, with Iverson later reuniting with Brown as co-captain of the 2004 United States Olympic men's basketball team. Iverson spoke highly of Brown, describing him as the best coach in the world.



Randy Ayers took over as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers but struggled to establish rapport with the players, leading to his dismissal after a disappointing start to the 2003–04 season. The interim head coach, Chris Ford, faced challenges in managing Iverson, resulting in several contentious incidents, including Iverson's suspension for missing practice and his refusal to play in a game because he disagreed with coming off the bench due to an injury.
During this tumultuous season, Iverson missed a significant number of games, and the Sixers failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1998.
The following season, under new head coach Jim O'Brien and with additions like Andre Iguodala and Chris Webber, Iverson and the Sixers experienced a resurgence. Iverson notably scored a career-high 60 points in a game against the Orlando Magic and averaged 31 points per game for the season, winning his fourth NBA scoring title.


Despite their improvement, the Sixers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Detroit Pistons. O'Brien was replaced by Maurice Cheeks, a move welcomed by Iverson due to Cheeks' history with the team.
In the 2005–2006 season, Iverson achieved a career-high scoring average of 33.0 points per game, but the Sixers failed to reach the playoffs for the second time in three years.
The relationship between Iverson and the Sixers soured further during the 2006–2007 season, with Iverson reportedly requesting a trade. He was subsequently benched, and the team announced its intention to trade him.
Iverson's tenure with the Sixers came to an end after ten years, during which he became the team's all-time leader in scoring average and second all-time in points scored. The Sixers struggled in the postseason following Iverson's departure until 2012.


After being traded to the Denver Nuggets in December 2006, Allen Iverson quickly made an impact, recording a double-double in his debut game. Despite his efforts, the Nuggets lost in the first round of the playoffs to the San Antonio Spurs.
However, Iverson's time in Denver was not without controversy. He was fined $25,000 by the NBA for criticizing referee Steve Javie after a game against his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, in January 2007. Iverson accused Javie of having a personal vendetta against him, a sentiment echoed by former referee Tim Donaghy in his book.


In a subsequent game against the Utah Jazz, Donaghy and two other officials allegedly conspired to penalize Iverson, feeling that his punishment from the league was insufficient. Despite this, Iverson continued to perform at a high level on the court.
One of the most memorable moments of Iverson's time with the Nuggets came in March 2008 when he returned to Philadelphia to face his former team. Despite the loss, Iverson received a warm reception from the crowd and delivered an impressive performance, scoring 32 points.
Iverson's tenure with the Nuggets showcased his scoring prowess and his ability to captivate fans, but it was also marked by clashes with officials and controversies off the court.


Allen Iverson's tenure with the Detroit Pistons began with promise, as he quickly made an impact on the court, scoring consistently and helping the team win several games early in the season. However, as the season progressed, Iverson found himself losing playing time to Rodney Stuckey, leading to speculation about his future with the team.
There were suggestions that Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars had acquired Iverson with the intention of transitioning Stuckey into the point guard role and freeing up cap space with Iverson's expiring contract. Despite Iverson's contributions on the court, it seemed that his long-term fit with the Pistons was uncertain.
Ultimately, Iverson's season was cut short due to an ongoing back injury, which led to his deactivation for the remainder of the 2008–09 season. There were reports of tension between Iverson and Pistons coach Michael Curry, with Iverson expressing his reluctance to accept a bench role. This situation fueled speculation about Iverson's future in the NBA.
Iverson's time with the Pistons was marked by both on-court contributions and off-court controversies, reflecting the complex nature of his career and persona in the league.


References


  1.  "Dalembert tallies winner for Sixers, who stave off Iverson, Nuggets". ESPN. March 19, 2008. Archived from the original on October 18, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  2. ^ "Pistons Acquire Allen Iverson from Denver in Exchange for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb"NBA.comArchived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2008.
  3. ^ "Allen Iverson 2008–09 Game Log". Basketball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2011. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  4. ^ "Ford: Why Dumars made the Iverson trade". November 4, 2008. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  5. ^ [1] Archived April 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Grizzlies sign four-time scoring champion Allen Iverson"NBA.comArchived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  7. ^ "God Chose Memphis?"The Washington PostArchived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
  8. ^ Spears, Marc J. (November 3, 2009). "Grizzlies, Iverson off to rocky start". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on November 6, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  9. ^ Spears, Marc J. (November 8, 2009). "Iverson leaves the Grizzlies". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on November 11, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  10. ^ "Grizzlies part ways with Iverson"The Sports Network. November 16, 2009. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  11. ^ "Report: Iverson to retire"espn.go.comESPN. November 27, 2009. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  12. ^ Stein, Marc (December 1, 2009). "Sources: Sixers closer to Answer"ESPN.comArchived from the original on December 4, 2009. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
  13. ^ Jasner, Phil (December 3, 2009). "Iverson's humble homecoming"Philadelphia Daily NewsArchived from the original on December 7, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
  14. ^ Juliano, Joe (December 2, 2006). "Iverson agrees to non-guaranteed deal with Sixers"The Philadelphia InquirerArchived from the original on December 15, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
  15. ^ "Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson starts Monday against Denver Nuggets". ESPN. December 7, 2009. Archived from the original on December 10, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2010.


Get fast shipping, movies & more with Amazon Prime

Start free trial

Enjoy this blog? Subscribe to Cryptoraptor

2 Comments