Posts tagged Philadelphia 76′ers

For the first time since 2006 the Wachovia Center played host to a Philadelphia 76’ers side that featured Allen Iverson and if there was any doubt about the reception he would get then check out his pre game introduction.

However his return was overshadowed by the Denver Nuggets and Chauncey Billups who lead the way with 31 points, eight assists and eight rebounds en route to a 93-83 victory. But the loss will not bother the sixers brass, not yet anyway.

Such was the anticipation of Iverson’s return, the sixers sold 9000 more tickets than they have been averaging all season, which is part of the reason why the 76’ers brought him back. Financial issues aside, General Manager Ed Stefanski is hoping the return to Philadelphia will help Iverson rediscover the magic he showed every night in his previous time at the club.

Last night however was not the Allen Iverson the 76′ers were expecting, 11 points, six assists, five rebounds in 38 minutes are numbers you just don’t associate with AI and are more reminiscent of his numbers in Memphis. In his debut for the Grizzles this season Iverson scored 11 points with one assist, zero rebounds in 18 minutes. Both performances though came when the shooting guard missed a lot of playing time and so the numbers can be deceiving.

The true AI will be seen after a few games and when he finds his feet, but if the numbers stay the same Iverson may have to once again rethink his career in the NBA.

Allen Iverson is returning home to Philadelphia and in his first press conference since coming out of retirement was reduced to tears, admitting he had made mistakes in the past.

“I’ll be lying if I said it didn’t bother me [speaking about his past troubles] because I think I created, with the mistakes I made in my life, I created a picture of me, that’s not me. I did a lot of things when I was young that I’m not proud of but those things helped me become the man that I am,” Iverson said.

“The last couple of years has been hell because you know all I want to do is play basketball and help the guys that I play with.”

Iverson will put on a 76’ers jersey for the first time since December 6th, 2006 when he refused to play in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls and admits that he is excited to be back and is willing to help the team in any way he can.

“Coming back home, all I could think about was the people who made me who I am,

“I always thought it was strange having another uniform, I couldn’t feel comfortable with another uniform,” the teary eyed Iverson expressed.

“I want to fit in. I want to be a part of any success we have, I just want to be one of the guys. I don’t need a whole bunch of praise. I don’t need a whole lot of accolades. I just want to play basketball.

“If I can help my team win basketball games the way Coach wants me to help, then I’ll be satisfied, I want to retire here,” he added.

But is the 34-year-old really capable of just being one of the guys? Throughout his career AI has been the superstar, the go to guy, the guy with the ball always in his hand and if history has taught us anything, it’s that AI won’t be able to accept anything other than a starting role and 30-plus minutes a game.

He failed to deliver in Denver, in Detroit he was used as a bench player – a role he refused to accept – and he quit Memphis after just three games, after again refusing to being used as a sixth man, despite missing the whole of training camp and not being game ready.

The tears he showed in his press conference were in all probability genuine such is his love for the game but one can’t help but think his fall from grace was self inflicted. With his time in Philly marred by off-the-court incidents, arguments with coaches and the infamous practice blow-up, his exit from the sixers was probably justified, but one thing people will never forget is his talent.

That bitter exit now haunts the future Hall of Famer and maybe he is returning to make things right with the franchise, but let’s not forget that the sixers are bringing him back, not out of choice but out of necessity. The injury to Lou Williams, which will keep him out up to eight weeks, created a space for Iverson to fill and despite team president Ed Stefanski claiming “I am bringing him back here to help us going forward to win basketball games,” the thinking that Iverson is being brought back to help sell tickets can’t be helped.

The sixers are currently 29^th in the league in attendance and the team has one of the worst records in the league at just 5-14, 10 games behind division leaders Boston. But still such is Iverson’s appeal, the Sixers said they had 327,657 page views on their website after the signing was announced, up from 36,000 the previous Wednesday.

Whatever the reason behind the Iverson signing one thing is certain, in the minutes he is given Iverson will play his heart out for the Philly fans, and maybe the circumstances around his exit and comeback to the sixers have set the stage for one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history.