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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- At the bottom of the official box score, the
Philadelphia 76ers listed a brand new stat: Mutombo -- 7
intimidations.
|  | | Miami coach Pat Riley was booed by the Philadelphia fans, despite the fact he retracted his statements questioning the 76ers' loyalty.
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Dikembe Mutombo grabbed 18 rebounds, blocked five shots and altered
plenty of others Wednesday night, more than making up for another
poor shooting night from Allen Iverson as the Philadelphia 76ers
beat the Miami Heat 79-69.
"We beat a great team and it was a great feeling," Mutombo
said. "I'm glad that I'm adjusting very quickly."
The tense, defensive-minded game ended with the fans taunting
Miami coach Pat Riley, who questioned the Sixers' loyalty a day
earlier for their trade of Theo Ratliff for Mutombo.
The Sixers beat the Heat for the third time this season, and
Riley and his big men got a close-up look at what a difference
Mutombo can make. Mutombo's presence helped force Miami center
Brian Grant to shoot 1-for-13 and forward Anthony Mason to go
1-for-8.
"Even though Dikembe blocked a few shots," Riley said. "I
think those guys probably missed 12 or 13 open jumpers."
So did Iverson, who followed up an 8-for-27 performance on
Monday by attempting 27 shots and missing 21.
Iverson still finished with 27 points as he went 14-for-18 from
the line. Rodney Buford added 16 points, tying his season-high, and
Mutombo had 10.
"Our shot selection is getting worse every game," Sixers coach
Larry Brown said. "As a team we defended great, and that got us
the win. We have to get a better understanding of how to play
offensively.
"Our effort is phenomenal. We're trying to win and playing
hard, but we have to have a little more trust and include
more people in our offense," Brown said.
Eddie Jones led Miami with 22 points and Tim Hardaway had 20.
The rest of the Heat shot a combined 8-for-42.
Philadelphia snapped a two-game losing streak and avoided its
first three-game slide of the season.
Iverson scored 13 points in the first quarter, but went cold in
the second, missing all six of his shots, although the Sixers still
managed to build an eight-point halftime advantage as Buford scored
11 points in the quarter.
Philadelphia stretched its lead to 44-32 early in the third
quarter as Iverson capped a 13-1 run with two free throws, but
Hardaway hit three 3-pointers in the period to help Miami close to three.
The Sixers took a 60-53 lead into the fourth, and Iverson scored
five consecutive points -- three from the foul line -- to give
Philadelphia a 68-57 lead with 7:08 left.
After Grant made two free throws, Iverson hit a 3-pointer and
Aaron McKie beat Jones on a drive to make it 73-59.
"They've beaten us three straight times. That's where we are,"
Riley said. "We're looking up at them, as is everybody in the
Eastern Conference."
Game notes
Miami's Bruce Bowen guarded Iverson for most of the night, and the two engaged some heated words in the third quarter. During
one timeout, the officials had to come over and tell Iverson to
move along after he spent several seconds jawing with Bowen. ...
Sixers forward Roshown McLeod, acquired in the Mutombo trade, will
be out for the rest of the season because of nerve damage in his
left calf. ... The Sixers drew their 10th sellout of the season.
... Iverson has made a 3-pointer in 18 consecutive games. ... Miami
dropped to 15-16 on the road.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Miami Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Riley takes back comment questioning Sixers' loyalty
RECAPS
Indiana 99
Milwaukee 86
Toronto 95
Atlanta 88
Charlotte 91
New Jersey 88
Minnesota 111
Detroit 100
Philadelphia 79
Miami 69
Houston 95
Chicago 78
Orlando 97
Phoenix 91
Utah 101
Vancouver 83
Denver 107
LA Lakers 101
Sacramento 122
Golden State 101
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Allen Iverson praises management for acquiring Dikembe Mutombo.
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