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Sixers-Nuggets: 56k | 300k |
"All that's important is that we got the win," Iverson said. "I have the utmost confidence in the guys that were out there for us."
Iverson fouled out with 5:49 remaining as he was whistled for his fourth offensive foul. The 76ers held a 10-point lead at the time but it quickly dissolved.
A three-pointer by rookie Vincent Yarbrough cut the deficit to 92-88 with 2:43 to play. Just over a minute later, Snow made a jumper from the left wing.
"We were able to keep the lead with Allen in foul trouble most of the game," Snow said.
"Eric played great. He was exhausted," Sixers coach Larry Brown said. "He knocked a shot down when we really needed it."
Shammond Williams drilled a three-pointer with 1:30 left, and Denver had a chance to get closer. But Juwan Howard was called for an offensive foul with 57 seconds remaining, argued the call and was hit with a technical foul.
Snow made the free throw, then added another after Williams missed a three-pointer for a 96-91 lead with 33 seconds to go. An 86 percent foul shooter, Snow was 17-of-19 from the line, both career highs.
After Howard made a three-pointer, Derrick Coleman split a pair from the line with 18 seconds left, giving the Nuggets a chance to tie. But Williams stepped out of bounds as he caught the inbounds pass, and Snow made three more free throws.
Iverson scored 17 points as he fouled out for just the second time since 1999. He made just 5-of-16 shots and never found a rhythm as he was held below 20 points for the first time in 19 games.
But Snow, Aaron McKie and Greg Buckner picked up the slack for Iverson and forward Keith Van Horn, who was a late scratch with a stomach virus. McKie and Buckner each scored 13 points as Philadelphia took the opener of a five-game road trip.
"Aaron and Buckner did a great job," Brown said. "They gave us a big lift on both ends."
Brown collected his 865th career victory, moving past Jack Ramsay into seventh place on the all-time list.
Philadelphia won in Denver for the first time since Feb. 27, 1998. At 14-13, it is the only Eastern Conference team with a winning road record.
"We have been playing more consistent defense and our preparation and effort has been better," Snow said.
Howard scored 25 points for the Nuggets, who have lost 12 straight games.
"We just went toe to toe with one of the hottest teams in the league and came up a little short," Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "We had our opportunity but let it slip away."
Philadelphia fell behind by 10 points late in the first quarter as Iverson missed seven of his first eight shots. But Snow scored eight points, McKie seven and Buckner six in the second period, when the Sixers took the lead for good.
Iverson was called for three charging fouls in a 90-second span and took a seat with 2:41 left in the first half. A three-pointer by former Nuggets first-round pick Efthimios Rentzias closed the half and gave the Sixers a 53-47 advantage.
Iverson got his fourth foul early in the third quarter but remained in the game. He sat down at the 6:39 mark after he was whistled for his fifth foul with the Sixers holding a 62-53 lead.
McKie found Brian Skinner for a layup and sank a jumper, giving Philadelphia its largest lead at 81-68 entering the final period. Iverson returned and hit a pair of jumpers around a free throw, keeping the lead in double digits.
Coleman scored 15 points and Kenny Thomas swept 12 boards for the Sixers, who shot 43 percent (31-of-72) and made 36-of-46 free throws.
Rookie Junior Harrington scored 13 points and Marcus Camby added 10 for the Nuggets, who also shot 43 percent (33-of-77) and held a 42-39 edge on the glass.







