Broach the subject of returning to Philadelphia and playing in an NBA game for the first time since coming to Denver 15 months ago, and Nuggets guard Allen Iverson doesn’t have an answer.
The focus on the Western Conference playoff race is a far greater priority, he says. And the idea of dealing with repeated questions about what it will be like — as well as everything that transpired over his tumultuous 10-plus seasons as a member of the 76ers — is akin to having an all-day series of root canals.
However, try as he might to avoid it, the moment is at hand for Iverson. Tonight at the Wachovia Center, there will be two teams, each of whom has designs on the postseason. But there’s little doubt that the focus will be on one man.
“I know as a coach, those games are always a little more important,” Nuggets coach George Karl said.
For most of the past week, the only thing Iverson has publicly acknowledged about his return is looking forward to playing before the Philadelphia fans one more time.
“I would say the fans and I had a strong relationship. I love them there,” Iverson said after the Nuggets’ shootaround Tuesday in Detroit. “Those fans made me a household name, all over the world. They gave me a lot of energy night in and night out. I love to perform for those people.”
Eric Snow, a former 76ers teammate, said Iverson’s hesitancy to talk about the return may be a matter of attempting to rein in his emotions.
“He may be sensing how tough it’ll be. I’m sure there’s so many things going through his mind,” Snow said. “He’s anticipating being there, being excited about it, and at the same time really wanting to perform well.”
The No. 1 pick in the 1996 NBA draft, Iverson scored 19,583 points in a Philadelphia uniform. Despite being one of the NBA’s most exciting players, there were run-ins with coaches who chafed at a talent who didn’t always approach the game the way they may have liked, which in turn created a negative influence on teammates.
Snow, who played with Iverson for seven years, said much of the drama that has been so much a part of Iverson’s career has largely been due to misperceptions, a trap he admitted he fell into as well.
“I thought everything I’d heard about him was how he really was, so when I came in I was a little closed-minded,” Snow said. “But he made me look at things differently. I’m not saying Allen was an angel all the time, but things were never as bad as they often were made out to be.”
Looking back through all the assorted controversies, Snow said he still marvels at how Iverson was able to perform.
“He’s not going to try to defend himself or change your mind about what you think of him; he’s just going to go on doing what he does: playing harder than anybody else,” Snow said. “With all he’s went through, one would think it might faze him or stop him, but it doesn’t. I don’t think any player, with the exception of maybe Kobe Bryant, has been through the stuff Allen has been through and kept playing at that level.
“And you may hear some players say, ‘I don’t like playing with him,’ but you’ll never hear someone say they don’t like him. He has the most generous heart of anyone I’ve ever played with.”
It’s hard to imagine there won’t be a spirit of generosity in the building tonight, that the residents of the City of Brotherly Love won’t figuratively clench Iverson to its bosom for a lengthy embrace. But at some point the lovefest will come down to two teams trying to take an essential step in their quest for the playoffs.
Maybe.
“The best thing to (revenge) is your own success,” Karl said. “To have success on the person who said ‘We don’t want you anymore’ is even greater.”
Staff writer Benjamin Hochman contributed to this story.
Anthony Cotton: 303-954-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com
DENVER at PHILADELPHIA
5 p.m. tonight, ALT, KKFN 104.3 FM
Spotlight on Andre Miller: The former Nuggets point guard mans the point for Philadelphia, and he has been playing well of late despite a nagging back injury. The 76ers have won nine of their past 11, including Saturday’s victory against the defending champion Spurs, against whom Miller had a game-high 32 points.
NOTEBOOK
Nuggets: In Denver’s only other game against the 76ers, a Jan. 6 win at the Pepsi Center, guard Allen Iverson had 38 points and eight assists. Of course, tonight’s game will be Iverson’s first as an opponent in Philadelphia. . . . In the Jan. 6 game, Denver point guard Anthony Carter had 15 assists. . . . The Nuggets have lost the second game of the past six back-to-backs. The last time the Nuggets won the second game of a back-to-back was Jan. 4 at lowly Minnesota. On this road trip, Denver will have another back-to-back — Sunday at Toronto and Monday at Memphis.
76ers: In their most recent game, Saturday’s win against the Spurs, Andre Iguodala scored 25 points on 9-for-18 shooting, along with five rebounds and four assists. . . . In the past three weeks, the 76ers have defeated Detroit, Phoenix and Orlando, in addition to San Antonio.
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
