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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Without the services of Allen Iverson, the Philadelphia 76ers nedded a little extra something from somebody.
|  | | Allen Iverson, left, and Eric Snow -- the Sixers' preferred starting guards --watched their team win from the bench. |
They got it from two players, Rodney Buford and Kevin Ollie, in
a 97-86 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Friday night.
Ollie played 42 minutes and had nine assists, both career highs, to go along with a season-high 10 points. Buford scored a season-high 16 points, all in the first half, before leaving with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.
"A lot of guys contributed to a very good win," said Sixers
coach Larry Brown. "I told you guys that Buford was going to be
terrific. He just needs to play and he gets better every day. Ollie
was tremendous."
Iverson sat out nursing a bruise of his left knee suffered in
the team's win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.
Aaron McKie scored 21, Theo Ratliff had 17 and Toni Kukoc added 14 for Philadelphia, which extended its winning streak to five games.
Stephon Marbury had 26 points, Stephen Jackson had 13 and Aaron Williams added 12 points and 11 rebounds for New Jersey, which had a two-game winning streak snapped.
Marbury scored just four points in the first half but sparked a
frenzied comeback in the third. With the Nets down 19, Marbury
scored 21 points in the third and early in the fourth to pull the
Nets within three.
"After the first half, I knew he'd be real aggressive," said
Ollie, who played for the Nets earlier this season. "I faced him
in practice, I know how tough he is to play."
After Marbury made a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 76-73 early in
the fourth quarter, the Sixers rolled off 11 in a row to pull away
with McKie scoring six during the spurt.
New Jersey made one final charge, pulling within five, but McKie
then made a driving layup followed by a 15-foot jumper with 51
seconds left that gave Philadelphia a 93-84 lead.
"We played like we were supposed to play in the second half,"
Nets coach Byron Scott said. "But you can't win games against a
team like this when you don't play until the third quarter."
The 76ers opened a big advantage in the first quarter, leading
by 20 at one point. Philadelphia jumped out to a 21-4 lead as New
Jersey shot just 2-of-15 from the field and turned the ball over
five times.
"I thought it was over at 20-4," said Scott. "They come out
aggressive and if you don't hit back, they'll take you out of it."
Philadelphia continued to hold a comfortable lead in the second
quarter and led 54-37 at the half.
Game notes
Kevin Ollie got his second start of the season in place of
Iverson. He notched career-highs of 42 minutes and nine assists and
scored a season-high 10 points. ...The Nets used the same starting
lineup for the second game in a row, an oddity for them this
season. The team has used 10 different combinations with 10
different players starting at some point this season. ...X-rays on
Buford's ankle were negative.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
New Jersey Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 97
New Jersey 86
Toronto 101
Washington 79
Milwaukee 105
Charlotte 98
New York 97
Detroit 91
Denver 91
Cleveland 88
Golden State 103
Phoenix 95
Minnesota 98
Seattle 93
Miami 97
Vancouver 86
LA Lakers 114
Houston 101
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Larry Brown Official Site
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