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SAN ANTONIO VS. LOS ANGELES
PHILADELPHIA VS. MILWAUKEE
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Iverson says Bell deserves success
Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA -- Raja Bell was playing against older men in
empty gymnasiums just two months ago. Now he's going to the NBA
Finals.
| | Raja Bell chest bumps Allen Iverson as the two realize they are going to their first NBA Finals. |
Bell scored 10 points Sunday night, one short of his entire
playoff output, and helped the Philadelphia 76ers beat the
Milwaukee Bucks 108-91 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.
"Two months ago, I was chilling at home in Miami and now I'm on
the biggest stage of my life," said Bell, who didn't play in eight
playoff games and logged just 36 minutes in the postseason before
Sunday.
But the 6-foot-5 Bell showed coach Larry Brown enough in 16
minutes of Game 6 to warrant more playing time in Philadelphia's
most important game in 18 years. He was the second player off the
bench Sunday.
Bell's fastbreak slam cut Milwaukee's lead to 34-33 midway
through the second and his layup capped a 12-0 run as the Sixers
erased a nine-point deficit.
He then nailed a 3-pointer to give Philadelphia its biggest lead
to that point, 48-38, with just over four minutes left in the first
half.
"When he hit that 3 in the corner, I was going 'No, no, good
shot,' " Brown said. "That's what this team is about."
When Bell re-entered the game in the final minute of the first
half, the sellout crowd of 21,046 at the First Union center gave
him a standing ovation.
He then made a driving layup, got fouled and completed the
three-point play, giving the Sixers a 56-48 lead.
"That was really a feeling I can't describe," Bell said about
the ovation. "When I went in and heard them yelling for me, it
made me melt and play that much harder."
Bell, signed as a free agent on April 6, played in the CBA in
1999-00. He missed the last CBA season with a fractured right thumb
and stress fracture in his left ankle.
But the Sixers signed him to fill out their playoff roster, and
he made his biggest contribution when it mattered most.
"I've been working hard and I felt I was part of the team,"
said Bell, who played at Florida International. "I'm just thankful
I finally got an opportunity to prove it."
Allen Iverson was especially happy Bell got the chance.
"Raja played with a lot of heart," said Iverson, who scored 44
points. "I'm glad to be his teammate for a special moment like
this. He works real hard, is one of the last players to leave
practice and he deserved it." Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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ALSO SEE
Sixers reach NBA Finals as Iverson KO's Bucks
Allen unable to deliver Bucks in Game 7
AUDIO/VIDEO
Ray Allen turns the ball over and Aaron McKie pushes the ball up to Raja Bell for the jam. avi: 856 k RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN Cable Modem
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