An Emotional Night In Philly As Iverson Returns

I know this idea is a few days late, but I just picked it up off of Danny's site so I thought we'd give it a go anyway. Heads up for the MLB previews and breakdown of the first two rounds later today and tomorrow.

Allen Iverson was finally back in Philadelphia for the first time since the trade to Denver in December of 2006. His relationship with the Sixers ended ugly, but the fans showed their appreciation last night of the incredible 10 years he spent in Philadelphia. At about 6:42, Iverson stepped on the Wachovia Center floor for the first time as a visitor. He came out of the tunnel, got down and kissed the 76ers logo at midcourt to the fans delight who were already there (myself included). As warmups went on, Iverson gave hugs to some former teammates, as well as a few friends in the organization. He also was very generous to the fans close up shouting his name constantly until they got his attention. Then came the player introductions. And unlike he usually does, Matt Cord, the announcer for the 76ers, announced Iverson as if he was still a member of the team. He said, "Let's welcome back, a 6 foot guard from Georgetown, #3, Allen Iverson!" The second the player introductions started, fans began rising out of their seats and roaring. The ovation was incredible, and the crowd was so loud, you couldn't even hear Matt Cord announcing Iverson's name. The atmosphere was incredible, as it was just the second sellout of the season. The roars continued for over a minute, as Iverson went to each corner of the stadium blowing kisses, applauding the audience, and doing his signature "make some noise" motion, where he puts his hand to his ear, much to the crowd's delight. As Anthony Carter's name began to call, the crowd quitted down, and began their usual boos for the remaining starters for Denver.

Right before tip, Iverson walked over to the Sixers bench, and gave Mo Cheeks a hug, along with the rest of the Sixers coaching staff. As the game got underway, the crowd roared both in excitement to see their Sixers play, winners of 15 of their last 19, but also excited to see what A.I. would do to his former team. In the first half, the fans cheered Iverson when he got the ball. But as the second half rolled on, they were cheering for the Sixers, not Iverson. The Sixers let a 7 point halftime lead slip, and the Nuggets led by 1 after the 3rd quarter. Nobody wanted the Sixers to lose this game, especially Andre Miller, who was traded for Iverson. And so he took over in the fourth, making shot after shot. And at one point, he and Iverson went back and forth for a few possessions with baskets. It was such an exciting game, and as Andre Miller got Iverson to flip over his back with his incredible pump fake, the Sixers took a three point lead, 113-110, as Miller converted on the and-one play. The next possession, Iverson comes down, and hits an incredible three point shot to tie the game, and fans could not believe it. It seemed as if it was destiny for Iverson to come home, put up over 30 points, and win the game late. But just at that moment, a miraculous event happened. As Andre Iguodala drove the lane and threw up a terrible attempt, hoping to get a foul called, Samuel Dalembert somehow redirected the shot into the basket with 32.8 seconds left, giving the Sixers a 115-113 lead.

The Nuggets gave the ball to Iverson who got a wide open look. It seemed as if time froze as he released the shot, but I snapped back into reality as it clanked off the back of the rim, much to my delight. Marcus Camby got a second opportunity to win the game for Denver, but his shot hit the front of the rim. But still time remaining. Andre Iguodala jumped up, snatched the rebound and stormed down the court with it as all 20,564 fans were on their feet roaring, as Iguodala threw the ball up in the air as high as he could as time expired. The Sixers won the game 115-113, their 16th of the last 20, 8th win in their last 9, and their 10th win over their last 11 home games, losing only to Boston. The Sixers are quite possibly the hottest team in the league right now, and hopefully, the can continue this high level of play. Despite losing in his return, Iverson scored 32 points, dishing out 8 assists in the process. Iverson's return was quite possibly one of the best nights of my life to date. The atmosphere in the stadium, along with the game itself, was beyond words. I had never felt something so incredible at a Sixers game in my 17 years of life. As much as I miss having Iverson around, and as tough as it was to see him playing for another team, seeing Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala get the win for our team, and having us in prime playoff positioning makes me much happier. I want to end by saying thanks to Allen Iverson for his 10 years in Philadelphia, but thanks even more to Billy King (I can't believe I just said that) for bringing in a new era in 76ers basketball, led by Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala.