NBA Greatest Playoff Game: Allen Iverson tough battle vs Ray Allen the Bucks Game 5 ECF (2001)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 19 сер 2024
- Playing on a fractured ankle and suiting up against his wife's wishes, Eric Snow became the latest hobbled hero for the Philadelphia 76ers.
After finding out earlier in the day that his sprained ankle was more seriously damaged than originally believed, Snow hit two jump shots in the final two minutes for Philadelphia's final four points as the 76ers overcame another poor shooting performance by Allen Iverson to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 89-88 Wednesday night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.
"My wife is really upset with me. She supports me, but she's really worried that I'll do something and won't ever be able to play basketball again," said Snow, who limped noticeably throughout the game and wore a large cast to the post-game news conference. "I just wanted to give it a go and try to see what I could do, and I was fortunate enough to make a big contribution."
The victory wasn't assured until Glenn Robinson missed a 10-footer from the baseline and Ray Allen missed a tip-in at the buzzer.
Iverson finished just 5-for-27 from the field, but Snow shot 7-for-9 in scoring 18 points as the 76ers added another unlikely chapter to their season-long story of overcoming injury problems.
"He won the game for us," teammate Aaron McKie said. "That was a gutsy performance. He's playing on an ankle that's almost broken."
The series resumes Friday night at Milwaukee, where the 76ers will try to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1983 and face the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dikembe Mutombo had his best game of the series with 21 points, 13 rebounds and 9-for-9 shooting from the foul line, while McKie added 15 points and had four of Philadelphia's 13 steals.
The Sixers, who trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half, needed all they could get from those two as Iverson struggled from the field for the sixth straight game. Iverson missed his first seven shots, nine in a row later and his final three of the game.
"I didn't think I'd have a game like that with this much at stake," Iverson said. "In the past, if I go 5-for-27, I don't think we win."
Robinson had 22 points, Allen added 20 and Sam Cassell had 18 for the Bucks, who allowed the 76ers to have two four-point possessions and one five-point possession by picking up two untimely flagrant fouls and one technical foul. Those 13 points ended up being huge for the 76ers, who shot just 37 percent from the field and turned the ball over 14 times.
The Bucks led throughout the first half but lost their edge when Cassell picked up a technical foul and Robinson was charged with a flagrant foul in the third quarter.
The 76ers scored four straight points from the line on both calls, then took an 85-82 lead with 3:49 left on a five-point possession as Tim Thomas flagrantly fouled Tyrone Hill, who made both free throws, and McKie converted an offensive rebound and drew Ervin Johnson's sixth foul.
Milwaukee scored the next four points before Snow hit a wide-open jumper from 15 feet. Allen was then called for a questionable offensive foul, Iverson missed a drive and Thomas threw away a pass after Milwaukee grabbed an offensive rebound.
With the clock ticking inside 35 seconds, Snow hit a 20-footer to make it 89-86.
"He doesn't miss shots like that at the end of fourth quarters. I'll give him that shot every time in the first, second or third quarter," Robinson said.
Milwaukee's Jason Caffey scored from the lane with 18 seconds left, and the Bucks fouled McKie with 13.9 left. The 76ers had made 25 of 26 free throws to that point, but McKie was short on both attempts.
Milwaukee got the ball to Robinson for a good shot, but it wouldn't go -- and neither would Allen's tip.
"It never should have come down to that," Robinson said. "We basically gave them 10 points. We have to make sure that if we go down we go down playing the right way."
The Sixers now have a 3-2 lead in the series, and teams which have taken such a lead have gone on to win 83 percent of the time.
Snow's latest ankle injury is worse than originally believed. In addition to a sprain, he also has a hairline fracture of the ankle running perpendicular to a two-inch long screw that was inserted after a previous fracture.
Sixers team physician Dr. Jack McPhilemy said there is a risk of further injury and that Snow had made the decision to play. Snow risks breaking the screw or further displacing the fracture, and the team doctors did not recommend one way or the other whether he should play.
Snow wore a special brace on the ankle in addition to heavy tape to protect it from a 90-degree turn.
Iverson finished the first quarter shooting 2-for-10, and he missed all three of his shots in the second quarter. Mutombo (13 points) and Snow (10 points) kept the 76ers within striking distance through the second quarter, but Thomas had four foul shots in the final minute to help Milwaukee take a 51-42 halftime lead.
Wow Mike Breen has been around for a while. I remember watching this game as a kid. 90s-to early 00's in my opinion was the NBA at its finest. Today's NBA not even close to the past.
Ikr, when I watched the Game 7 of this series a while back I was STUNNED to hear him announcing it
damn, the Bucks legit lost by a 1/2 second
0:54 A.I. was also a SHOT STUFFER?? 👀
That ending was TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT for the Sixers. They ESCAPED with the W
The fact that the ball was not in Ray Allen's hands on that possession was a picture of how fractured that locker-room was.
I like Big Dog, but c'mon bruh. That was Ray's moment all the way.
I remember that an espn journalist suggested before the completion of this series- that the Bucks would of been the harder match-up for the Lakers. Bucks had more weapons and Brown knew Iverson needed more help. So he made a trade for Derrick Coleman the very next season which broke up the 76er nucleus.
Which is a prime example of how stupid the sixers organization was and why A.I never won a championship
that journalist was probably right
The Bucks beat the Lakers twice in the regular-season and one of the Lakers bench-players that was traded to Milwaukee later-on said that the Lakers did not want to see the Bucks in the Finals.
If it was reviewed today, the Bucks got that ball off on time.
Lmaoo mckie almost blew the hole game smh 🤦🏻♂️
ray isnt as exciting but his shot is so damn nice
2 out of 18...
Did you see this game live back in 2001? If you did, it's not a big deal that he shot so badly in this game (and they still won because he helped out in other ways - getting a ton of assists, rebounds, and steals). AI was playing with 7 injuries. I remember it like it was yesterday. He had a tailbone injury, a badly bruised hip, a sprained back, a serious elbow injury that required surgery during the off season, a rotator cuff tear, a sprained finger, and knee bursitis and yet he was still playing to help his team. He'd been forced to miss game 3 because he was just too banged up, and his team played with heart and tried to win for him though they came up a little short, and when he returned, the inspiration he gave his teammates lead them to take it to another level for him and carry him on their backs now that he was limping and in pain after he had carried them through the first two series (Indiana and Toronto). So this game is actually inspiring as was the whole series. This guy at 5'11" 155 lbs. and badly injured could still play his heart out and tough out pain that very few other players would ever play through - and even when he had an off night and missed most of his shots, he believed that he could make the next one. That is a lesson everyone should learn from. It doesn't matter how many times you mess up. Believe in yourself and play with your heart, and you will make the next shot - maybe even a pivotal, game winning play.
6 rebounds when ur just 6ft tall... Not to mention the steals, hustle and forced turnovers. Even on a bad night he still found ways to be great
Also watch game 6 and I bet you'll delete your comment lol
+sportsmed77 you know the deal man
sportsmed77 Well said my guy. 👏🏾
ha gay