PHILADELPHIA - Kyle Korver's role has changed. The big 3-pointers he has a
timely knack of hitting have stayed the same.
The near-perfect sharpshooter used his 3s to help bump Philadelphia to an
even bigger 3: 3-0 for the first time in six seasons.
Allen Iverson scored 31 points and had 13 assists, and Korver scored 13 of
his 22 points in the third quarter to lead the 76ers to a 107-98 win over
the Miami Heat on Sunday.
Andre Iguodala scored 20 points for the surprising Sixers, who are the
only
undefeated team in the Eastern Conference.
"We've got to keep on building on what we've been doing," said Korver, who
hit 5 of 6 3-pointers. "We have a long ways to go, but we feel like we're
doing OK right now."
Korver rallied the Sixers with 3s in the third quarter and helped them
build
a 17-point lead midway through the fourth until Walker cut the gap with a
3-point rampage of his own.
Walker sank three straight 3s that made it a 10-point 76ers' lead late in
the fourth.
Unlike last season, when the Sixers had a troubling habit of folding down
the stretch, this year's team has shown a dogged resolve to keep the lead.
Iguodala, who had a sensational all-around game, hit an 18-footer and
Kevin
Ollie made a baseline jumper to push the lead back to 13, and the Sixers
held on for their most impressive victory of the season.
The Heat played without center Shaquille O'Neal, who bruised his left knee
in Friday's win at New Jersey. O'Neal is day-to-day.
Riley said O'Neal would have X-rays when the team returned to Miami.
"Not having Shaq changed our whole game plan," coach Pat Riley said. "We
were a little surprised that prior to the game we found out he wasn't
going
to play."
Antoine Walker scored 23 points, Udonis Haslem had 17 points and 16
rebounds, and Dwyane Wade added 20 points for Miami.
Shaq would have made little difference against Korver. The former starter
has found his niche this season off the bench, hitting clutch shots with
such frequency that his minutes haven't really been affected.
Korver got hot in the third, sinking three 3-pointers to extend his streak
to nine straight overall going back to Friday's win in Orlando. The streak
ended when he missed a baseline attempt in the fourth.
"He has to be that sparkplug off the bench," Iverson said. "We're going to
need Kyle to do a lot of things for us throughout the season. It's great
how
he handled the responsibility of being the sixth man."
After getting pounded on the boards in the first half, even with O'Neal
gone
and Alonzo Mourning battling foul trouble, the Sixers came out with a
renewed zest in the second half.
Iverson and Korver hit consecutive 3s that sliced the deficit to three,
then
Korver added two more 3-pointers that tied the score at 71.
Steven Hunter blocked Gary Payton's layup on the next possession and
Iverson
fed a long outlet pass to Iguodala for a big dunk and a three-point play
that gave the Sixers the lead for good, 74-71.
Korver added a jumper and a couple of free throws before the quarter was
over to stretch the lead to 78-73.
"Shooting 3s is always going to be what I do best," Korver said. "It
better
be what I do best."
Iguodala hit a pair of 3s in the fourth that electrified the crowd and
gave
the Sixers a needed cu****on to withstand Walker's late hot streak.
Philadelphia had 26 assists and only eight turnovers. They also
outrebounded
the Heat, 43-40.
Chris Webber had 11 of those rebounds for the Sixers, including six in the
third, but continues to slump from the floor, with a 5-for-13 effort for
10
points. He was benched for the entire fourth quarter.
Starting center Samuel Dalembert also was held out of the fourth and
Korver
was scoreless.
Webber deftly deflected numerous questions about his benching, smiling
through brief answers and saying he was happy the Sixers were 3-0.
"It's whatever," he said.
Mourning struggled filling in for O'Neal, picking up his fourth foul early
in the second quarter and was a non-factor with six points. Dorrell Wright
set a career high with nine rebounds, but had none in the third when the
Sixers outrebounded the Heat 13-7.
"We hurt ourselves out there," Mourning said. "We didn't do anything to
alter their play down the stretch. We let them get into a comfort level."
Now the Sixers seem quite comfortable sitting atop the East.
Notes:@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Iverson was hit with a technical foul in the first quarter. ...
Iverson was tripped hard by Mourning in the fourth, and a clear path foul
was called. Iverson sank both free throws. ... The Sixers won their first
10
games in 2000-01 and advanced to the NBA Finals.
--
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