PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 18 (Ticker) -- Allen Iverson continues to display the toughness that makes him a star while Nick Van Exel remains sidelined as his team flounders.

Iverson returned from a sprained toe to score 27 points and Dikembe Mutombo added 20 and 10 rebounds as the 76ers cruised to a 110-83 rout of the Denver Nuggets.

Iverson is nursing a sprained right big toe that forced him to miss Sunday's game against Indiana but refused to miss another game in order to help the struggling Sixers, who had dropped four of their previous five games.

"I got here early and tried to run on it," Iverson said. "It was sore, but I felt like I could give it a shot. This is my family. They needed me, so I tried to help the best I could."

NBA TV highlights from Nuggets-Sixers: 56k | 300k Dikembe Mutombo puts the stuff on George McCloud in the Sixers' win over the Nuggets. Garrett W. Ellwood NBAE/Getty Images

"He was supposed to have an MRI and he got a little queasy about it," Philadelphia coach Larry Brown said. "I got a call that he was going to try to see how he felt. It was just a matter of if he could handle any discomfort. I don't think there was any way we would have won the game if he didn't play."

Van Exel, who leads Denver in scoring and assists, missed his fourth straight game with inflammation in his left elbow. He clearly is the leader of the struggling Nuggets but has made news only off the court with his trade demands.

Denver coach Mike Evans praised Iverson while his own leading scorer remains on the bench.

"Iverson is a pro and he can play with pain," Evans said. "He carried them on his shoulders and he played unselfish. They got what they needed."

Iverson made 11-of-21 shots and nearly registered a triple-double, collecting nine rebounds and eight assists. He played the entire first three quarters but sat out the fourth as Philadelphia cruised to its most lopsided victory of the season.

Without its most explosive scorer, Denver trailed from the start and was competitive for less than a quarter.

The Sixers had a 14-10 edge less than nine minutes into the game before reeling off 10 straight points. Iverson had three layups during the burst and scored seven points during a 14-2 run early in the second quarter as Philadelphia pulled away.

The Nuggets never got closer than 16 thereafter and Philadelphia had its largest lead, 86-52 after two free throws by Iverson with eight seconds left in the third quarter.

The 76ers dominated inside despite playing without forwards Derrick Coleman and Corie Blount, who were suspended by the league Monday for their part in an altercation during Sunday's loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Philadelphia outscored Denver, 64-44 in the paint and held a commanding 59-34 rebounding advantage. The Sixers pulled down 17 offensive rebounds en route to 24 second-chance points.

Mutumbo was perfect on nine attempts from the floor and Raja Bell made 6-of-10 shots as Philadelphia shot 53 percent (43-of-81).

Bell, who started in place of Coleman, scored a career-high 16 points and Matt Harpring collected 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Speedy Claxton scored 11 points and fellow reserve Jabari Smith, who was activated from the injured list Monday, added a career-high 10.

"Everybody responded well," Iverson said. "In the huddle before the game we said we needed it from everybody. Everybody took that challenge and stepped up."

The Nuggets shot just 37 percent (32-of-87), including 3-of-15 from 3-point range, and were outscored, 37-8 on the fast break.

"We have to find a way to get ourselves together," Evans said. "I was hoping that we would come out and play with a higher sense of urgency. I thought we played hard but we were so flat. We couldn't make a shot. It was just a bad game for us."

Raef LaFrentz and Avery Johnson scored 17 points apiece for Denver, which dropped the final two games of its four-game road trip after winning the first two.

Kenny Satterfield scored 15 points off the bench and James Posey collected 13 and nine rebounds for the Nuggets, who also were without forward Ryan Bowen, who has a sprained right ankle.