NBA: Despite bad rap Iverson most likely MVP of NBA

Article written by:
Steven Schindler

He's been called a punk. He's been proclaimed a roundball genius. He's been called out for getting race driven, preferential treatment. He says fans call him the “N” word. Whatever you may think or say about Alan Iverson, despite the bad rap he dishes out and is laid on him, he's dragged his team of also-rans to the league's best record at midseason and he's considered by some the best pound-for-pound talent the NBA.

After losing to the Pacers in 6 games in the conference semis last season, Philly fans came in expecting more out of Iverson and this veteran band of Sixers this year. The team brass brought in some additional star quality last year in the likeness of Tony Kukoc and went for quickness taking 5'11” Craig “Speedy” Claxton with the 20th pick in the June draft in an attempt to take some of the pressure off of Iverson.

Then the injury bug wrecked the best-laid plans of coach Larry Brown and general manager Billy King. Claxton's season ended early benefit of a torn ACL. The 7' 1” Matt Geiger has missed more than 60 days of the season with recurring knee and recent steroid problems and the latest shot-below-the-Sixers-belt comes with the loss of Theo Ratliff for an undetermined period with a fractured wrist. Iverson's help and Philly's season could have melted before everyone's eyes long ago, but it hasn't.

The effect of these blows is hardly reflected in how the team has fared on the court. After opening their schedule with 10 straight wins the Sixers have hardly looked back at who is way behind them. Running up win streaks of 10, 3, 7, 5 and 4, Larry Brown's band of misfits haven't lost more than two consecutive games during any one stretch thus far this season. I think they're using mirrors!

Most all of this is due to the high level of play by Iverson himself and the fact that his mediocre cast of sidekicks have chipped in enough to keep piling up the wins. There is no supporting cast of perennial all-stars outside of Allen within site of the Liberty Bell. As a matter of fact, Philadelphia doesn't have 4 other players that would be considered above average in the NBA. Without his wondrous ability the Sixers would be in a sorry state indeed.

Many will argue that Iverson isn't all that great. “Look at his shooting percentage!” his detractors will yell. Well, Iverson's .427 career clip from the field looks pretty darned good when you put it in historical perspective. NBA shooting greats like “The Big O”, Havlicek, Mikan, Cousy and West all shot in that .375- .485 range for their careers. So what's to not like about Iverson's stats? Looks like he's right up there with the best in league history to me.

Last season Iverson took a league high 25.6% of the team shots for Philly and this year is bound to be the same. An all-star's gotta do what an all-star's gotta do. Averaging more than double the points-per-game of any other Sixer, Iverson is not some hulking behemoth camping under the basket slamming down lazy dunks like some other guys we know. Allen jukes and jives and creates out on the perimeter shooting jumpers. He also has a history of making slashing drives to the hole and absorbing a lot of punishment in the process. He's taking lots of shots and making lots of them. He has to because his Philly running mates don't have the same innate abilities.

Iverson single handedly took charge of the MVP trophy from the recent NBA All-Star game scoring 25 points, 15 in the final-quarter, in leading his Eastern Conference team to a scintillating comeback win. He and the Sixers have run off four straight wins to start the second half of the season with Allen scoring 40 points or more in three of those games and the best sign for him yet is that reinforcements are on the way.

Both Eric Snow and Matt Geiger have been activated off the injured list and hopefully will begin providing much needed minutes and support through the remainder of the season. It remains to be seen if Philly can maintain their torrid winning pace without defensive stalwart Theo Ratliff in the lineup for the next six weeks or more.

Iverson and his Sixers just won't die. With critics predicting many earlier collapses due to lost games from everybody including Larry Brown, Philly survives. A lot of that is due to the sudden ineptitude of their opposition. The Sixers keep taking advantage of the other guy's inability to shoot, rebound or defend in the final minutes of games and they are taking every one of those ugly wins they can palm in their big, oversized mitts.

You may deride Allen Iverson for his politics. You may rave that he's not a decent role model for your kids. You can call him down for rapping about violence and gay bashing. But if you are any kind of basketball fan you have to give Iverson his props for his hops, his court smarts and his all-world ability. He is nothing less than sensational and he just might carry the Sixers on his MVP back all the way to the NBA Finals.

Article provided courtesy of http://www.e-sports.com/

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