With the NBA in an indefinite hiatus due to COVID-19, we continue our day-by-day look back at the history of the Philadelphia 76ers. We continue down our path into Sixers history every day as we look to fill the void left by the absence of basketball.
Sunday’s edition heads back to another big game from one of the most popular players in the franchise’s history. Allen Iverson and the Sixers were having a very good season in 2002-03 and it was all about positioning themselves for a high seed in the playoffs at this point. They faced the Atlanta Hawks on the road and Iverson was ready to go off.
March 29, 2003
As successful as the Sixers were, they had a lot of issues with the Hawks. Philadelphia had lost all three matchups with them during the season and were on the verge of being swept as they had issues with a future Sixer, Glenn Robinson–Sr., not Jr.
Iverson would not allow it to happen as he had one of his more impressive games of the season. He went off for 38 points on an extremely efficient night shooting 17-for-25 from the floor, missing his only 3-pointer, he had nine assists and eight steals as well. All of it resulted in a 110-89 win that put their struggles with the Hawks to bed.
Iverson reacted to the big win postgame:
I felt good about our chances in this game. They had beat us three times in a row. We didn’t want them to sweep us.
In terms of what was working for him on an efficient night, he answered:
It looked like the ocean. Everything I threw up, it seemed like it would go in. Fortunately, it was enough to win.
Iverson and the Sixers would go on to earn the 3 seed in the playoffs and they would knock off the then-New Orleans Hornets in Round 1 before running into the Detroit Pistons in the semifinals. Iverson would have a big series, but the more well-rounded Pistons put them to bed in six games. [lawrence-related id=28458,28436,28450]