Allen Iverson presented the game ball for Sixers’ Game 6, talked about his future (VIDEO) (Ball Don't Lie)
(Thu, 24 May 2012 04:05:20 PDT)
Sixers legend Allen Iverson left Philadelphia under not-so-great circumstances twice — first, when he was traded to the Denver Nuggets in December 2006, and then again in 2010 after a short, controversy-filled return to the franchise . Despite those exits, Iverson is still much-loved in Philly. He led the franchise emotionally and on the court for more than a decade, and his toughness (mixed with a lot of frustration, naturally) helped the city identify with him. Simply put, he's the most important Philadelphia athlete of the past 25 years, no matter how often Eagles fans still complain about former quarterback Donovan McNabb. On Wednesday night, the currently unemployed Iverson returned to the Wells Fargo Center to present the game ball before tip-off of the Sixers' Game 6 win against the Boston Celtics. His initial appearance was brief: he walked out in head-to-toe Sixers apparel (including a jersey with the No. 23 of Louis Williams, the most Iversonian member of the team), presented the ball, shook some hands, gave some hugs, and left the court to watch the game. Through it all, the home crowd gave him a huge ovation. You can watch video of that above. After the jump, check out the more complicated part of Iverson's evening: an interview with ESPN's Lisa Salters that touched on his desire to play basketball and his difficulty in finding a team that wants him.

76ers top Celtics to force Game 7 in East semis (The Associated Press)
(Thu, 24 May 2012 03:01:26 PDT)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) In the most unpredictable of playoff series, Rajon Rondo was the one consistent playmaker for Boston.

2012 NBA Playoffs TV Schedule for Thursday, May 24 (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 23:03:00 PDT)
The 2012 NBA Playoffs schedule for Thursday, May 24 will feature one game. On May 23, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Boston Celtics for a 3-3 tie in the series. Which of the two Eastern Conference teams playing on Thursday will win the next game of their series?

Sixers' ugly ball delivers them Game 7 date with Celtics in East semifinal
(Wed, 23 May 2012 23:02:22 PDT)
The Celtics have found themselves in a winner-take-all Game 7 against the scrappy Sixers.

Sixers force NBA game seven with Celtics
(Wed, 23 May 2012 22:45:21 PDT)
The Philadelphia 76ers kept their season alive with an 82-75 victory over the Boston Celtics to force a seventh game in their Eastern Conference playoff series.

76ers confident despite Game 7 odds (The SportsXchange)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 22:00:10 PDT)
The Philadelphia 76ers have given themselves a chance. By outlasting the Celtics 82-75 in Game 6 Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center, they get to play Game 7 Saturday in Boston.

Celtics' Bradley could be done for playoffs (The SportsXchange)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 21:50:12 PDT)
Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley missed his second straight game with a dislocated left shoulder, and the news is getting worse. Team sources told the Boston Herald it is very doubtful he will be able to play again in this postseason. Bradley will definitely need surgery, and it may happen soon. He has not been completely ruled out the rest of the way, but if he plays again this season it would come as a surprise to the team.

Reliance on Garnett creates dilemma (The SportsXchange)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 21:50:12 PDT)
The Boston Celtics have become even more reliant on Kevin Garnett in this postseason -- at least when they want to win -- and it's created a dilemma.

76ers win survival quarter, force 7th game with Celtics (The SportsXchange)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 21:30:16 PDT)
PHILADELPHIA -- The third quarter -- "the survival quarter," according to Boston coach Doc Rivers -- again proved pivotal in Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series Wednesday night between the Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.

76ers fight off Boston to force Game Seven
(Wed, 23 May 2012 21:17:11 PDT)
(Reuters) - The Philadelphia 76ers ground out an 82-75 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday to force a deciding Game Seven in their Eastern Conference second-round playoff series.

76ers 82, Celtics 75 (The SportsXchange)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 20:00:20 PDT)
PHILADELPHIA - Jrue Holiday scored 20 points Wednesday night, as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 82-75 in Game 6 of their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series, forcing a decisive seventh game Saturday in Boston.

NBA roundup: Pacers president Larry Bird calls his team soft (The SportsXchange)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 15:40:15 PDT)
The worst playoff loss in Indiana Pacers franchise history had team president Larry Bird calling out his players, according to an Indianapolis Star report.

Heat's LeBron James leads NBA all-defensive team (The Associated Press)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 15:04:39 PDT)
NEW YORK (AP) NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James was the leading vote-getter for the league's all-defensive squad Wednesday, while Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler didn't even crack the first team.

Dexter Pittman abides by Pat Riley's Heat code by cracking Lance Stephenson
(Wed, 23 May 2012 13:30:34 PDT)
Dexter Pittman's flagrant foul on Lance Stephenson shows the Heat are willing to back for LeBron James.

Jrue Holiday needs to shoot more for Sixers to win, according to Doug Collins (Ball Don't Lie)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 13:15:38 PDT)
The second round hasn't been especially kind to Jrue Holiday. After averaging a sterling 18.2 points per game in the Philadelphia 76ers' first-round win over the Chicago Bulls, he's had a rougher go of it in Round 2, averaging just 12.4 points a night on 43.4 percent shooting against the Boston Celtics. He's far from the only Sixer to struggle — his teammates are shooting a combined 41.7 percent from the floor in the series, which Boston leads 3-2 and can close out in Philly in a pivotal Game 6 on Wednesday night — but what's made Holiday's play particularly noteworthy of late is its passivity. After hitting three of the first four shots he took during Monday's Game 5 and helping Philadelphia jump out to a 27-23 lead after the first quarter, Holiday seemed to recede from view, attempting just two shots in the rest of the game and finishing with a quiet 10 points in Boston's 101-85 win . That Holiday, the team's leading postseason scorer at 15.5 points per game, pulled back when he seemed to have it going gave Doug Collins cause for concern; as the Sixers' head coach told John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer , the team needs more offensive aggression from its lead guard and leading scorer. "He's our leading scorer," Collins said after a team film session Tuesday at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. "[...] I've got to have him in the mode of looking to shoot the ball." In a perfect world for the Sixers, Holiday plays Wednesday night the way he did in Game 2 of the Chicago series, when he finished with 26 points and six assists in a 109-92 rout. "I have to be more aggressive looking for my shot," Holiday said. Perhaps too often, Holiday exhibits a reluctance to take over games. He has a pure point guard's mind-set in that he would rather set up his teammates — something Boston guard Rajon Rondo, his counterpart, could very well be the best in the league at doing. It's true that Holiday can look tentative at times, and that hesitance can spell problems for a Philadelphia team not blessed with very many players who excel at creating good looks, whether for themselves or others. But it's worth noting that it's not exactly as if the Sixers become a high-flying, explosive winning machine when Holiday starts looking for his own offense.

James and Wade on fire as Heat scorch Pacers
(Tue, 22 May 2012 21:22:52 PDT)
MIAMI (Reuters) - With LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on fire, the Miami Heat pounded the Indiana Pacers 115-83 on Tuesday to take a 3-2 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference playoff semi-final.

Pacers lose the game and perhaps some players (The SportsXchange)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 21:01:09 PDT)
MIAMI -- Now it's the Indiana Pacers' turn to be concerned. Very concerned.

Heat 115, Pacers 83 (The SportsXchange)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 20:01:12 PDT)
MIAMI -- Now it's the Indiana Pacers' turn to be concerned. Very concerned.

Celtics-76ers Preview (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 16:28:36 PDT)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Before coach Doug Collins had his Philadelphia 76ers look ahead to Game 6, he had them rewind the tape to a dusty Game 7.

Collins hopes blast from '82 Game 7 inspires 76ers (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 16:27:53 PDT)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Before coach Doug Collins had his Philadelphia 76ers look ahead to Game 6, he had them rewind the tape to a dusty Game 7.