Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 9:01 am  |  138 responses

Post Up: Welcome Home, AI

Bubba Chuck returns to where it all began.

by Holly MacKenzie/@stackmack

Allen is home. Allen is home. Allen is home.

I could copy and paste that 8000 times in this post because that’s about all my mind is thinking right now. I’m so happy. Thrilled. Over the moon. We can’t script reality because sometimes it’s too perfect. Envisioning an Iverson back to Philly “second chance” seemed foolish only a few months ago. Hell, even a few weeks ago.

But there he is. Smiling. Holding up what is perhaps the loveliest jersey I’ve ever seen. I loved the Sixers new uniforms this season. With a #3 and an IVERSON on the back, I loved them even more. This feels right. Even if it feels a little overwhelming and strange and almost scary. Scary because, if it doesn’t work in Philly, we know it isn’t going to work anywhere else. Strange because Iverson will go from being “retired” to starting (at least, I hope for his sake). Overwhelming because we will get to hear those Sixers fans scream their hearts out for Iverson once again.

I want this to work out for him more than anything I can recall in recent memory. It just feels right. Deserved He gave that franchise his heart for so many years. After  putting them on his back, they had a chance to give him a hand, a shot and a second chance. And they did.

The tears in his eyes, crackle in his always raspy voice, nervous smile as he tried to get a hold of his emotions, that is why Allen Iverson means what he does to me. He is real, raw, pure emotion. He is true to what he feels inside. It’s the only way he knows how to be. It’s the only way I ever want to be.

To the Philadelphia 76ers franchise, thank you.

Thank you for taking a chance on someone that you believe in. I believe in him, too.

Okay. I’ve got so much more to say/think/express about Iverson, but I can’t get my thoughts straight right now. Going from trying to accept that he was gone to having him back in Philadelphia has been a whirlwind. I’m sure you can relate.

Beyond that, DeJuan Blair had me singing #rookielove all evening. 18 points on 9-11 field goals, 11 rebounds (five offensive) in 21 minutes of play off of the bench. He was spectacular. He was everywhere. Hopping all over the place, making moves against KG, going up against Perkins battling for boards. He was aggressive, focused and absolutely jacked up at the end of the game as he led the Spurs back. San Antonio ended up losing the game to the Celtics, 90-83, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort on Blair’s part.

The Spurs were out of sync all night. Sloppy from the jump. They lost despite outrebounding Boston 55-32, including 20-2 on the offensive glass. How does that happen? By shooting just 7-for-17 from the free throw line and by turning the ball over 19 times.

Rajon Rondo is a hell of a point guard. Can people stop hating on him? Or, let me clarify that: Can people stop hating on his game? You don’t have to like him, but saying he sucks only makes you look ignorant. He’s a baller. Also, KG getting up to grab lob passes made me happy last night.

The Denver/Miami game was almost over before it started with the Nuggets leading by 16 at the half and rolling to the 114-96 win from there. Facing the Lakers tonight, things don’t get any easier for this Heat team on this West Coast swing. Did you all see the new hairstyle JR Smith is rocking? I personally enjoyed his six assists off of the bench to go with 16 points on 5-for-11 shooting. Dwyane Wade had 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Heat in the loss.

The Houston/Golden State game ended up being a close one down the stretch. After trailing by 10 in the fourth, the Rockets continued to play their team game and came roaring back while Monta Ellis and the Warriors had some heartbreaking turnovers late as Houston escaped with the 111-109 victory. With the game going back and forth, Aaron Brooks nailed two free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining and then Ellis was called for a travel on the in bounds catch and the Warriors didn’t get a chance to win it.

How’s this for a wacky line? Monta Ellis scored 24 points to go with six rebounds, eight assists, nine turnovers. He shot just 9-for-27 from the floor and had seven blocks against him. He played 47:28 minutes after missing the morning shootaround because he felt under the weather. Brooks led the way for Houston with 25 points, none bigger than his final two free throws.

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  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    I think predictions are stupid.
    But, I did figure the Lakers and Celts were going to meet again in the Finals. Whether the Celtics can win depends a lot on K.G.’s knee, and Bynum’s health. But, I like the Lakers to beat the Celtic with the addition of Artest.

  • Robb

    Dimitris you are the most annoying MF I’ve seen here.

    Get lost

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    Allenp: Its called speculation. Its fun. You just made a prediction, too…

  • http://fjkld.com Jukai

    Speculations: Lakers: 75%, Celtics: 10%, Magic: 5%, Cavaliers: 5%, Everyone else: 5%.
    The Spurs do not have a chance simply because they aren’t a healthy team. They have not proved they can get through a stretch of time where they are all 100% and I doubt it will be better after 82 games.
    Also: Isiah > Stockton > Iverson.
    Why did Isiah get thrown in there? To belittle the difference between Stock and Iverson? I’m confused how his name even got up. Isiah is a top-15 level player. He’s unreal.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Iverson shouldn’t be in a comparison w/ 2 pg’s. Unless your doing a 6′ and under list jukai then your prolly right.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    Co-sign nbk.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    Except, I don’t think Stockton is better than Iverson.
    Iverson > Stockton for me, but they are completely different.

  • http://Www.lkz.ch Darksaber

    Tears made me feel sorry for him but then i remembered the injury, the retiring, the complaining & pouting, the dismissing and it was sobering. Great to see him back with HIS team, but i’d be quite shocked if AI the PG would turn this ship around. Remains to be seen, i guess. Hey Ben, you actively deleted one of Spanny’s rants? Wow, must have been a humdinger.

  • http://www.digitalthread.com AlbertBarr

    Its a little late, but…Lakers: 65% Celtics: 10% Nuggets: 9% Cavaliers: 6% Magic: 7% Misc.: 3%

  • Sporting-Lisbon-Blazers

    LA 50 Cavs 20 Bos 20 Magic 9 Denver thughets 1

  • http://slamonline.com tealish

    LA 70, BOS 20, ORL 9, OTHERS(CLE,DEN) 1
    And the AI and STOCK debate isn’t clear cut. Not only are they completely different players, but their teams were completely different. That Mailman fella is kinda nice to have on your team, no?
    As far as picking a franchise guy, Allenp got it right when he said for most teams, you’d go with Stock. Just a much easier fit. But when you don’t have another guy who can put up 20ppg, I’d go with Iverson. Stockton cannot get you buckets.
    I’m also curious… has Myles always hated Iverson this much? It seems like in every AI post I read, Myles Brown loads up and fires like it’s his life’s calling. That’s cool, everyone’s got a biased opinion, even writers. I’m just curious if you were like this when you guys were printing out Iverson covers every other month? When you covered his Finals run, did you mention how overrated it was? Was there a “BUBBA CHUCK CHUCKS WAY TOO DAMN MUCH” cover that I missed? Or did you write about how inspirational and how dominant the little guy was because back then, people loved him and couldn’t get enough? Just curious because for me, I can’t pull that fake facade ish without feeling a little queasy.

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ DIMITRIS DIAMANTIDIS

    So,….EVERYBODY was almost sure that the Lakers were going to win it all (70% propability on average) and Cavaliers have no-chance at all (5% on average) B-E-F-O-R-E the season started…..as i already said, i am going to take your word on that although i have to admit that it seems to me a litle bit strange (just based on the prevailing certainty on Lebron’s superiority over Kobe on this forum…..i thought some of you would have given him at least 20% just for this) .Anyway, thank you all for responding (somewhere tavoris is feeling really confused…..).We will see how we all did in the end of the season. Hope Lebron(or Artest….) doesn’t make us all look really stupid….
    @Sporting-Lisbon-Blazers……: you are a brave man.Thanks.

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ DIMITRIS DIAMANTIDIS

    @Darksaber…..:this EWE BASKETS really dissapointed me…last week i was hoping that at least they were going to give a fight against Panathinaikos and this week QYNTEL WOODS is having a party in their own place….i was basically expecting more from Ricky Paulding….

  • FoCo

    40% Lakers 30% NUGGETS 20% Celtics 8% Magic 2% Somebody Else 0% Lebron and whatever 4 nobodies are on the court with him.

    Curry was a chucker of the worst order in college…dude can get hot and make some shots but he lives on that one March run. Haven’t payed much attention to him in the League yet though.

  • tavoris

    @Jukai-go back to that post in that discussion about Philly’s run. I did not say Manning and Ellis were on the Bucks. Our discussion was about the Toronto Raptors. Get a freaking life, dude.

  • tavoris

    @tealish-I think Myles is just tired of seeing articles about him every day. If he got as much ink as Kevin Durant does up here, then it’s a little easier to hold back.

    @Jukai-ur recollection of details is HORRIBLE. are u a meth head or sumthin?

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ DIMITRIS DIAMANTIDIS

    After last night Jukai’s paranoiac back&forth(which was one of his most hilarious nevertheless) tavoris is making a courageous attempt to top him with this comment (Dec.5 8:21am): “@Jukai-go back to that post in that discussion about Philly’s run. I did not say Manning and Ellis were on the Bucks. Our discussion was about the Toronto Raptors. Get a freaking life, dude.” Now, if you indeed go back to that post you will actually see him saying: ( Oct.12 at 9:45 am)
    “Jukai, the 2000 Bucks (with Allen, Cassell, Robinson, Danny Manning, Tim Thomas, and Dale Ellis) were LESS talented than the Sixers?”…..no wonder whenever they have a “debate” it is an instant (unintentional)comedy classic….
    I have come to the following posibilities:
    a)both kids are below 13 years old.5%
    b)they are posting drunk or something similar.7%
    c)both have the mental talent of Nicola Tesla (on the opposite side of the bell curve…)58%
    d)both are the same guy lonely guy that just writes hilarious things to get attention.10%
    e)none of them exists, it is some SLAM guys righting crazy things for all of us to keep posting. 20%

  • http://slamonline.com tealish

    @SPANAGOPOULOUS……: Some could contend that your point d) could apply to yourself if you replaced “hilarious” with “provoking”. Actually, hilarious works too. That’s the only reason I can think of to explain why a knowledgeable hoop head like yourself writes the things you do.

  • http://slamonline.com tealish

    @tavoris: That’s not the point. AI has always dominated headlines. I’m just curious if Myles was open with his hate in his writing when Iverson was balling and selling mags. He still sells, (shoe seller!!!, etc), but his game, or at least how he’s played of late, isn’t there and it’s cool to hate now. I’m curious because learly, Myles doesn’t respect Iverson’s game now or ever before for any stretch of his career. That much is clear. The only question is whether he showed that viewpoint back in the late 90′s and early 2000′s. Just my silly curiosity.

  • Pingback: Basketball For Brunch, Dec. 05

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ DIMITRIS DIAMANTIDIS

    @tealish…..:ok, i can definitely be considered provoking in a way. The question remains: can you explain me the logic behind the first ten lines of the 10:06 am comment..? (tavoris:”……..i said Dale was at the bucks …..but you are a meth head cause i never said that Dale was at the bucks….. “). I am waiting for your “non provoking” answer.

  • http://fjkld.com Jukai

    While I’d like to point out Spanny was unable to debate me on his own Greek National Team and ended the conversation with “yes!” (I think he blamed it on a language gap or something?)
    I’d also like to see Tavoris respond to this one…

  • http://slamonline.com tealish

    I don’t know, I didn’t follow that and I don’t care to. If he’s lying, he’s lying. If there’s another story, there’s another story. It doesn’t matter to me. I don’t know why it matters to you.

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ DIMITRIS DIAMANTIDIS

    @Jukai/tavoris……:is it ‘power game’ or ‘Spanoulis’ today….????!!!!!(the best thing is that you don’t even get it, so no fear of losing you !!!)
    tealish…….: you don’t need to “follow” something….if reading 3 lines means “following” then my english are indeed in big trouble….

  • http://www.slamonline.com Myles Brown

    Back in the late 90′s I was in high school and had no affiliation with this mag or any other. And I dont see how questioning the work ethic of a player who shot upwards of 25 times a game at barely 40% is ‘hating’. You kids and your rap music….

  • http://fjkld.com Jukai

    Spanny: So, are we going to admit I beat you in an argument and you have little else to say?

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ DIMITRIS DIAMANTIDIS

    @Jukai(tavoris)……:YES!!!!! and since you really don’t get it ,so we don’t run the risk of losing you, i am telling you today that the 3 second rule exists(for god sake this was H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!!!) in Eurore, i just didn’t want to interupt your panic run yesterday….(you wrote “…..totally different concepts to boxing out (thanks to no three-second rule),…… “)
    @tavoris(Jukai)……:now you ALSO can make fun of your “alter ego” since a)he is changing affirmations on a game he never saw(now it is Spanoulis, then it is pick & roll,then again it is Power game) b) he is commenting and analyzing for 20 posts the impact of the “lack” of a BASIC RULE that OF COURSE exists. Next time he is going to write that there is no 24 second time limit in the FIBA game , that is why we have lower scores!!!!!

  • http://slamonline.com tealish

    @Myles — Couple things, I rarely listen to rap and there’s nothing wrong with questioning his work ethic. My only observation is that in every Iverson post, you come out swinging. It’s approximately a 15:2:1 ratio of negative:neutral:positive content in your AI comments.
    Again, I was just curious on how you wrote/approached AI back then. That’s all. But if you were in high school…. cool, lol.

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ DIMITRIS DIAMANTIDIS

    @TavorisJukai/Jukaitavoris….: it became obvious that you are the same person since the propability of having two guys that ,so blatantly, REPEATEDLY contradict and ridicule themselves ,IN THE SAME site, in the SAME post and in the SAME funny style are close to zero….

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ DIMITRIS DIAMANTIDIS

    @Jukaitavoris/tavorisjukai…..:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_of_basketball

    (“it was the deffensive players you full!!” yeap,that’s my kids… )

  • tavoris

    greek dude-leave me out of ur pointless arguments. The best players in the world are in the NBA. I don’t give 2 spits about the basketball players from across the pond UNTIL they come to the NBA.
    You can take your ridiculous lists, crumple them up, and use them to wipe Darko’s jizz off your chin.

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ DIMITRIS DIAMANTIDIS

    @tavorisjukai…….:and the best whisky in the world is in….??? (keep drinking!!!!)

  • http://fjkld.com Jukai

    Spanny: That is a completely different argument that we didn’t actually have (unless you are Rikson) but the three second rule exists in Europe? I actually didn’t know that. In all leagues or just some leagues?
    I didn’t see it on the wiki article, so if you could explain it to me, I’d actually appreciate that.
    Oh, and you still lost the Greek national team debate.

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ DIMITRIS DIAMANTIDIS

    BOTH “alter ego’s” (jukaitavoris/tavorisjukai)completely anihilated….!!!! i can’t brag for this, it wasn’t that difficult…. One last thought: Germany ain’t good at basketball and this Jukaitavoris guy is intentionally writting stupid/false/self-contradicting things to get over his lonelyness and all,BUT…this Rickson guy, doesn’t even know the RULES…?????!!!!

  • http://fjkld.com Jukai

    Boy, you sure do get heated when I mention you lost that debate.

  • Jack

    Personally, I’m not a fan of the new jerseys, feel as though they’re a step back, too old. The old ones were my favourites in the league. And I’m a Nuggs fan.

  • j4zzm4n

    since the inclusion of spanny rants this message board degenerated rather quickly. very happy to see the answer back at home and even though i am not a fan i hope the 76ers at least make the playoffs so a.i 3 can finish off on a high.

  • tavoris

    @Jukai-if you remember that discussion, I responded with the rosters in the year that you mentioned. After which, you retracted and said you meant 2001, not 2000. It was an error on both parts, but that doesn’t change the fact that 90% of our discussion was about Toronto, not Milwaukee. But to clear that up-Milwaukee (Allen, Robinson, Cassell) STILL had more top-to-bottom talent than the Sixers-without those two players. CLEARLY. It was a miniscule details that don’t change the point of my post.

    @ Greek dude-you’re pathetic. I’m pretty sure that you’re far more familiar with the warmth of American Whiskey, the dryness of Russian Vodka, and the saltiness of Greek jizz than we can all imagine.

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