Philadelphia Enquirer

["Brian Porter (CBL)" <Brian.Porter@connors.ca>]

Celtics put Sixers on the ropes
Boston brushes off Iverson to win again.
By Ashley McGeachy Fox
BOSTON - Using Seattle's series against San Antonio as an example, 76ers
coach Larry Brown stressed that, so quickly, momentum in a five-game playoff
series can shift. Stealing a game on your opponent's home court is the key.
The Sixers almost did that last night.
With a 14-2 run in the fourth quarter, including 10 consecutive points by
Aaron McKie, they erased a nine-point Boston lead to pull ahead, 75-71. The
Celtics, so confident through the first three quarters, looked cooked.
Even the Sixers thought Game 2 was theirs. They thought they would escape
the FleetCenter with a 1-1 tie in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal
series, go home and win two games, and that would be that. On to the next
round.
But with a vicious swing of momentum, the Celtics used a 16-4 run to beat
the Sixers, 93-85, and take a two-games-to-none advantage. Now, the Sixers,
like the Flyers, are facing elimination in their next game, Sunday at the
First Union Center.
Oh, how team chairman Ed Snider must feel this morning.
"We were in control, pretty much," said McKie, who finished 5 for 8 from the
field for 16 points in 27 minutes. "We were making the plays, we were
getting the stops, and there were, like, three minutes left. We pretty much
had the game under control, but they made the plays when they had to."
With Allen Iverson resting on the bench, McKie scored 10 straight points to
erase a 71-65 deficit and give the Sixers a 75-71 lead. But with 7 minutes,
11 seconds remaining, Iverson checked back into the game, and 31 seconds
later McKie left it.
Iverson missed two quick shots while the Celtics pulled to 75-73. After the
teams exchanged baskets, he made a jumper to put the Sixers ahead, 79-75,
but by then the Celtics had regained their composure.
Tony Battie made back-to-back jumpers and, after Iverson's mid-range jumper
fell well short, Paul Pierce hit a field goal, then made a three-pointer to
give Boston an 84-81 lead with 1:36 remaining.
On the Sixers' next possession, McKie, back in the game, and Walter McCarty
dove for a loose ball. McKie was whistled for an offensive foul and McCarty,
who finished with 10 big points off the bench, made two free throws to give
the Celtics an 86-81 lead.
The Sixers could not recover.
"It was our game to win," Brown said. "Part of winning in the playoffs is
guys making plays when they really matter most. They had people step up."
Iverson finished 11 for 30 from the field for a game-high 29 points, but he
missed five of his last seven shots, including those two with the Sixers
ahead by four points. His 49 points for the two games are the fewest he has
scored in the first two games of a playoff series since he collected 43 in
Games 1 and 2 against Charlotte in 1999.
"That stuff happens in the flow of the game," Iverson said of the two misses
with the Sixers leading by four. "I don't care about that. They are just
shots that were missed. That's all. No big deal."

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