Allen providing answers
in Phillie
Mark Woods
It's play off time in the NBA. 16 teams
emerged this week from the curtailed regular season to commence battle
for the Championship title in June. And this time, all routes do not run
through the Chicago Bulls, their spectacular fall from grace from first
to damn near worst a sorry sight.
By contrast for the Philadelphia 76ers,
the future is looking bright. Last champions in 1983 thanks to the majestic
artistry of Julius "Dr. J" Erving, the Sixers have known only barren times
this decade as season after season, their ambitions of success have failed
to last past the first week in April.
Not this time though. For the first time
since 1991, the men from the city of Brotherly Love have found the key
to unlocking their dreams. Allen Iverson is the flashiest kid on
the block, his startling foot speed and shooting ability sparking the Sixers
to fresh hopes of ultimate victory. An ability to provide a response to
all the questions put to him has earnt him a simple and fitting sobriquet
- "The Answer."
Not only has the 23 year old returned his
once mighty franchise to respectability but he has inherited the leading
scorer title that of late has been the sole and exclusive property of Michael
Jordan. Averaging a league best 26.8 points per game this season, the young
man responded to the accusation of being more self-generated hype than
substance.
As the number one collegiate draft pick
of 1997, Iverson entered the league with bags of raw potential but only
lately has he let his talents rather than his mouth do the talking. Prior
to his first encounter with Jordan and the then rampant Bulls, Iverson
grabbed the headlines by challenging the maestro's superiority, predicting
that it would be the rookie rather than the veteran would emerge with the
upper hand. As was his wont, Jordan elected to demonstrate his awesome
powers, leaving Iverson to rue his ill-advised boasts.
At the age of 17, Iverson was in jail ,a
teenage hoodlum imprisoned for a fight in a bowling alley. Six years
hence, Iverson concedes that with the greater maturity in his game
and his personal life has arrived an ability to ignore his many detractors
and get on with his job.
"I've worked so hard," said Iverson.
"All my dreams are coming true. It's only my third year, but I think the
problem with me coming in was that people looked at my talents and they
didn't want to let me grow as a basketball player and as a person. I think
over time, maybe people will start to understand me and some of the critics
will back off."
"I think that there is going to be a billion
people there that respect my game and love my game and appreciate my game,
and a billion people who dislike it. I understand that, so that's what
keeps me moving forward."
'Twas never so apparent than in the Sixers'
first round play off series against the higher seeded Orlando Magic, the
6'0 guard impressing as his team took a 2-1 series lead entering last Friday's
night's contest in Philadelphia.
However, he has not yet totally eradicated
his brashful tendencies. Prior to the second game in Orlando, he taunted
fellow superstar Penny Hardaway to "bring it on" after the Magic had fallen
victim to his 30 point showing in the opening gambit. Penny dropped in
30 points of his own versus his rival's lacklustre 13 in retort . However
in the remaining two games, it was the Philadelphia's master of swing who
put the Magic into the hat and conjured up their play-off exit.
"I was so excited that even when I was
just standing there I wanted to be moving. Even during the timeouts, I
just couldn't stand still," said Iverson afterward, his additional theft
of 10 steals in the third contest securing a new NBA record.
The magic of Iverson comes from his speed
and uncanny ability to make shots from sometimes absurdly awkward positions.
The free-running role afforded him within Philadelphia coach Larry Brown's
system has paid major dividends, his unconventional style somehow fitting
with a game that is as explosive as it is effective.
"I don't think you guys have any concept
of the impact this kid has on a game," said the vanquished Orlando coach
Chuck Daly. "This was the 'Allen Iverson Show.' What he does for the Sixers,
I don't even think they realize."
With a Best of Seven series against Larry
Bird's Indiana Pacers looming, only time will tell whether The Answer
is the real deal or merely trash talk.
