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Iverson misses practice
Posted: Sunday December 19, 1999 07:05 PM
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Philadelphia 76ers star Allen Iverson did not attend an optional practice Sunday, the morning after saying he should be traded if coach Larry Brown is unhappy with his play. Iverson lashed out at his coach Saturday night after being benched for the final 20 minutes of Philadelphia's 104-91 loss at Detroit. Though he has disagreed with Brown many times, it was the first time Iverson mentioned a trade. "For some reason, my style doesn't fit this team anymore," Iverson said. "If that's the way it is, something needs to happen. Something's got to give. "If I'm hurting this team, I need to get out of here. I don't like what is going on. When I get back to Philly, I'll let that be known. However you look at it, I'm going to be the bad guy, but I'll deal with it. "I've never been done like that ever in my career." Only four players attended Brown's optional practice Sunday: Tyrone Hill, George Lynch, Eric Snow and rookie Todd MacCulloch. Brown challenged Iverson to meet with him if he meant what he said. "My door is always open," Brown said. "I'm here today. If it's such a pressing, urgent matter, I'm accessible." Iverson anticipated Brown's reaction, saying Saturday night, "I mean every word I'm saying. Every single word." At least one of Iverson's teammates agreed that something has to be done. "If it is a major problem one way or another, it has to be solved," Snow said. "If he is sincere in what he says, I don't know what has to be done." Hill said, "This is Allen's team. Everybody knows that. We need Allen. He's the franchise." Brown benched Iverson and three other starters with Philadelphia trailing 73-50 with 8:15 left in the third quarter. Starters Lynch and Hill returned in the fourth quarter, but Iverson, Snow and Theo Ratliff stayed on the bench. The Sixers got within seven points with 3:37 left, playing the unselfish style Brown prefers. "In that 16 or 18 minutes, we played the way we've been playing for a three- or four-week period," Brown said. "It was amazing." The Sixers were 6-4 when Iverson was out with a broken thumb. They are 7-9 with him in the lineup. General manager Billy King said Sunday night he talked with Iverson by phone and, "We had good conversations." "It will stay between us what we talked about," King said. "We've been able to work out other problems, and I don't see why we won't be able to work this one out." Iverson, who gets upset when he sits out a minute or two, wore a towel over his head and a disgusted look while he watched from the bench. He made no effort to hide his feelings afterward. "I don't know nothing about basketball, so I don't know what happened," Iverson said. "I guess 95 percent of it is probably me." Iverson and Brown have disagreed on everything from shot selection to the dress code since Brown was hired for the 1997-98 season. Rumors swirled in Brown's first season that the coach wanted to deal Iverson for Damon Stoudamire. Last January, Iverson signed a $70.9 million, six-year contract. Brown's relationship with Iverson took a hit last season when he sent Iverson back to the bench after the star player cursed at him. The two patched up their differences, and Iverson won the NBA scoring title and led the Sixers to the playoffs for the first time since 1991. This season, Iverson expressed disappointment with Brown's decision to use him as a point guard at times so second-year pro Larry Hughes could play in the backcourt with him. As Brown grew impatient with Hughes' work ethic and defense, the Sixers began entertaining offers for the 20-year-old. This did not sit well with Iverson, who has befriended Hughes on and off the court. The Sixers don't have much time to sort all of this out. They play the Pistons at home Monday night. "The two best parts of our team are coach Brown and Allen," MacCulloch said. "Things get said in the heat of the moment, and I hope that's all it is."
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