Sixers101 Magic91
PHILADELPHIA – To paraphrase Chuck Daly who paraphrased Pat Riley’s “The Winner Within,” once in a great while there comes a team who embarks on the Innocent Climb. It is untouched by the real world, untainted by egos or success’ pitfalls, delightfully naive. It doesn’t know about being selfish or being frazzled.
This team Riley and Daly speak of has taken form in Philadelphia. Watch the 76ers – a six seed in the Eastern Conference who completed a magical upset of Orlando yesterday with a 101-91victory – and what you see amid Allen Iverson’s tattoos is innocence. You see a team that doesn’t realize it’s not supposed to be in the second round playing the Pacers, one whose players stand by the bench and applaud and hug one another and embrace the fans.
“They have a great frame of mind,” Daly said, a hint of jealousy in his voice.
Maybe the Sixers celebrated too soon in this Game 4. They led by 18 points in the third quarter after Iverson whooshed another three to send the towel-waving fans into delirium, only to see a Magic comeback that brought doubt back in the building. Orlando actually led with 5:44 left. But the waves of emotion only made the Sixers’ first playoff series victory since the ’91 team with Charles Barkley beat the Bucks that much sweeter – and louder.
The final moments that included a dramatic put-back slam by high-hops rookie Larry Hughes and a clinching jumper by Iverson – who scored 37 this time, with nine assists – were deafening inside the First Union Center. Not since Julius Erving played here has this town been so wild about pro hoops. And postgame there was Erving, executive vice president of the Magic now, his afro cropped much shorter and almost all gray, talking with the people who once adored him.
“Good luck in Indiana,” he said. “I think you have a good chance.”
The Indiana series begins tomorrow night. The Sixers were 2-1 against coach Larry Brown’s old team in the regular season. It seems they match up well against the Pacers, young legs against old legs and all. But what makes them most dangerous is a page out of Riley’s book: They don’t know any better.
“Why can’t we beat the Pacers?” said Theo Ratliff, who had four key blocks, including a swat of a Penny Hardaway drive into the fourth row with 1:04 left.
However, Brown called the Pacers his “worst nightmare.” Of course, Brown resigned from Indiana three years ago under cloudy circumstances.”I messed up my last year there,” Brown said. “I respect everything about that team. I’m looking forward to it. I’m a competitor. But it’s going to be hard.”
Perhaps Brown has already done the hard thing: unearth a franchise stuck in ruin. Thirty-one different players have played for the Sixers in the last two years, culminating in this mostly obscure 12.
“Everybody tells me these guys have never played and they aren’t that good,” Brown said.
Yet, together – behind their lone superstar – they were able to beat the Magic, with Hardaway and Nick Anderson and Horace Grant, a trio who have endured many postseasons. Eric Snow scored 20 poins and hit the clutch open jumpers, George Lynch had 10 boards, Hughes 14 points and crowd-stirring moves.
And it was the Magic who were making excuses after this series: The Sixers were too athletic, Iverson is too good, the glitzy regular season record (33-17, tied for best in the conference) was merely due to the shortened season. Hardaway, heavy on excuses this entire series, had vowed to take over this Game 4. He vowed to shoot 25 times. He shot 17 – and made only three. He finished 0 for 6 in the first half when the Sixers pushed to a 47-36 lead.
“I’m just disappointed in my play this series,” he said, refusing to say whether he will use that escape clause he has in his contract after the season.
There was no sniping in the home locker room. The Innocent Climb was just beginning.