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ShareAI Feels OK; McKie Out
Ok, so Head Coach Randy Ayers was just kidding with the media when he said that he needed to re-introduce himself to Allen Iverson. Iverson had remained in Philadelphia during the team’s recent road trip and had been out of the line-up since Dec. 14 with a right knee contusion.
Truth be told, the 76ers were just glad to see No. 3 practicing with the team during an optional practice on Sunday. But while Ayers was glad to have Iverson back, he also revealed that Aaron McKie’s left hamstring strain will keep the Sixers guard out for the next few games.
Though his knee is still not 100 percent, it feels good enough to Iverson that he is going to be in the lineup when the 76ers host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.
“I feel like it is not 100 percent. But I think it is well enough for me to play,” Iverson said. “It was strong in the beginning of practice, at the end it kind of got a little weak. I was kind of tired in the beginning of practice, being that we started just running up and down from the beginning of practice to the end. Eventually I caught my wind, my second wind, I was able to play comfortable. I am glad I am back.”
Though this was not the worst injury for the six-foot guard, who alluded to thigh and elbow injuries as worse, it hurt in more ways than one – he was not there to help his teammates during his absence.
“That’s the thing that hurt the most because I had to watch them struggle in areas during the games I could have helped them out and maybe helped the guys pull through,” Iverson said. “It was just a rough time for me. But I’m glad that I stayed home because I knew that if I went out there with them I would have tried to play at some point when that probably wasn’t the right thing to do.”
Ayers will be careful to make sure that Iverson does not overdo it in his first game back.
“He and I talked about after practice about trying to gage how he feels,” Ayers said. “The biggest thing is not to fatigue the muscle and then (giving) it a chance to be injured again. So, we’ll try to keep that closely watched tomorrow night.”
One thing that will take some time is the chemistry that will need to be developed between Iverson and Glenn Robinson. The duo has been on the floor together just five times this season.
“There really is none right now. We’re still trying to develop that and trying to sort things out and trying to win as well," Ayers said. "So we are walking a fine line right now in terms of Allen and Glenn and how they play on the court. The biggest thing I worry about is on the defensive end. We’ve got to be consistent on that end. And with those two guys, they guard skill players every night. So to me, their offense, starts with their defense. And if they are defending and we get Allen in the open court with Glenn, I think that will help build that chemistry a lot sooner.”
As for McKie, Ayers will not have the NBA’s leading three-point shooter available for the next few games.
“Aaron is out for the week. We are going to try to do some things with Aaron towards the latter part of the week and see how he feels. But (he will) at least miss the next two games, and possibly the next three or four. It’s a day-to-day thing.”
McKie originally hurt the hamstring on Dec. 22 against Orlando. While he played on it at the Clippers on Dec. 26 and then in the first half at Phoenix on Dec. 28, he did not return for the second half against the Suns. McKie has missed the last three games.
Good news and bad news. One step forward and one step back. It will be another delay before Ayers finally sees a line-up with all 12-active players, but he will at least see his projected starting line-up take the floor.
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Though his knee is still not 100 percent, it feels good enough to Iverson that he is going to be in the lineup when the 76ers host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.
“I feel like it is not 100 percent. But I think it is well enough for me to play,” Iverson said. “It was strong in the beginning of practice, at the end it kind of got a little weak. I was kind of tired in the beginning of practice, being that we started just running up and down from the beginning of practice to the end. Eventually I caught my wind, my second wind, I was able to play comfortable. I am glad I am back.”
Though this was not the worst injury for the six-foot guard, who alluded to thigh and elbow injuries as worse, it hurt in more ways than one – he was not there to help his teammates during his absence.
“That’s the thing that hurt the most because I had to watch them struggle in areas during the games I could have helped them out and maybe helped the guys pull through,” Iverson said. “It was just a rough time for me. But I’m glad that I stayed home because I knew that if I went out there with them I would have tried to play at some point when that probably wasn’t the right thing to do.”
Ayers will be careful to make sure that Iverson does not overdo it in his first game back.
“He and I talked about after practice about trying to gage how he feels,” Ayers said. “The biggest thing is not to fatigue the muscle and then (giving) it a chance to be injured again. So, we’ll try to keep that closely watched tomorrow night.”
One thing that will take some time is the chemistry that will need to be developed between Iverson and Glenn Robinson. The duo has been on the floor together just five times this season.
“There really is none right now. We’re still trying to develop that and trying to sort things out and trying to win as well," Ayers said. "So we are walking a fine line right now in terms of Allen and Glenn and how they play on the court. The biggest thing I worry about is on the defensive end. We’ve got to be consistent on that end. And with those two guys, they guard skill players every night. So to me, their offense, starts with their defense. And if they are defending and we get Allen in the open court with Glenn, I think that will help build that chemistry a lot sooner.”
As for McKie, Ayers will not have the NBA’s leading three-point shooter available for the next few games.
“Aaron is out for the week. We are going to try to do some things with Aaron towards the latter part of the week and see how he feels. But (he will) at least miss the next two games, and possibly the next three or four. It’s a day-to-day thing.”
McKie originally hurt the hamstring on Dec. 22 against Orlando. While he played on it at the Clippers on Dec. 26 and then in the first half at Phoenix on Dec. 28, he did not return for the second half against the Suns. McKie has missed the last three games.
Good news and bad news. One step forward and one step back. It will be another delay before Ayers finally sees a line-up with all 12-active players, but he will at least see his projected starting line-up take the floor.
