| Denver Nuggets News | | | Top Five Lakers Playoff Moments in the Kobe Era - Fan's Take (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
The 2012 Playoffs were full of frustration for Lakers fans like me as Kobe and Company struggled in the first round against the Denver Nuggets, getting pushed to seven games in a series that should have been closed out much sooner. Then, in the Western Conference Semifinals, the Lakers blew Games 2 and 4 and were defeated 4-1 by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Allen Iverson presented the game ball for Sixers’ Game 6, talked about his future (VIDEO) (Ball Don't Lie)
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.
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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. | | | | |
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