Allen iverson 37pts vs orlando magic game 4 1999 playoff

The Philadelphia 76ers withstood a storm by the Orlando Magic and then Allen Iverson provided the knockout punch. The lightning-quick guard of the 76ers scored 37 points, including two pivotal jumpers and three free throws in the final five minutes, to lead Philadelphia to a series-clinching 101-91 victory over the Magic. "I feel great," Iverson said. "It's still hitting me all at once. It's something I've been waiting for a long time and to finally get it is something special." The 76ers won the best-of-five series from Orlando, 3-1, and will meet the Indiana Pacers in the second round, beginning Monday in Indianapolis. "I don't know how you can be any more proud of your team," Brown said. "I told them this was a great opportunity for us to grow up. Allen's doing what great players do. He's making other people better and he is taking responsibility and steps up. I feel good that a young team could respond this way." With Iverson leading the way with 26 points, the Sixers built an 18-point lead by the 7:33 mark of the third quarter. But Orlando fought all the way back and took an 86-84 lead after a jumper by Horace Grant with 5:47 left in the game. But the 76ers scored the next nine points while the Magic missed eight consecutive shots. George Lynch converted a pair of free throws with 5:23 left to tie it and Iverson hit a pull-up 12-foot jumper from the left baseline with 4:56 remaining to give Philadelphia the lead for good. After Orlando missed three shots on its next possession, Iverson drew three defenders and slipped a pass to backcourt partner Eric Snow, who hit a wide-open jumper from the right side of the free throw line to increase Philadelphia's lead to 90-86 with 3:27 left. Iverson made 1-of-2 free throws and rookie Larry Hughes dunked off a rebound to cap the 9-0 run, giving the Sixers a 93-86 lead with 2:27 left. A 3-pointer by Penny Hardaway pulled the Magic within 93-89 with 2:13 left. But Iverson hit a floater in the lane with 45 seconds remaining and Hughes converted a pair of free throws with 29 seconds left to open a 97-89 lead for the Sixers. Iverson and Theo Ratliff each hit two free throws in the final 17 seconds. "Coach said it was great for us to be in a dogfight like this and it was important for us to try and respond," Iverson said. "It was important to withstand the run, and we were able to get over the hump." Iverson converted 14-of-27 shots, including four 3-pointers, and had nine assists. The 37 points tied the season playoff-high set by Houston's Scottie Pippen against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. "This was the Allen Iverson show," Magic coach Chuck Daly said. "He scored 37 points and is such a tough competitor. I don't think you realize everything he does. He is so quick and always bouncing around. With his penetration and quickness, you are always trying to help which frees up and helps out players like Snow and Lynch." Snow matched a career-high with 20 points and Hughes added 14 off the bench. "Coach has been telling me all season long to be aggressive offensively and take the pressure off Allen, Larry and the other guys," Snow said. "I think that helped, him being on me all season." Nick Anderson led Orlando with 29 points, but missed all five of his field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter before fouling out. He was 10-of-26 for the game and 4-of-13 from 3-point range. Hardaway, playing the whole series with a torn ligament in his right wrist, endured another dreadful shooting performance. He hit just 3-of-20 shots from the field and finished with 17 points. "I came out trying to be aggressive, I just missed shots, no excuses," Hardaway said. "They just outrebounded us and outhustled us. They are quicker one through five and they do a great job trapping and getting in the passing lanes." It was a disappointing finish for the Magic, who tied for the best record (33-17) in the Eastern Conference with the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers and entered the playoffs as a three seed. "We overachieved all season long but we weren't able to get it done in the playoffs," Hardaway said. Iverson scored 11 points in the first quarter to help the Sixers build a 23-18 lead. Anderson hit a short jumper and a 3-pointer to tie the game early in the second quarter, but the Sixers scored the next eight points on a pair of layups by Tyrone Hill, a jumper by Harvey Grant and two free throws by Matt Geiger. The Sixers increased the lead to 47-36 at halftime after Snow hit a jumper and Hughes converted a pair of free throws to close the quarter. Sensing the kill, the 76ers came out flying in the third quarter. Ratliff converted 1-of-2 free throws, Iverson hit a 16-foot jumper and Snow connected on a 3-pointer 43 seconds into the quarter to open a 53-36 lead. A 14-foot running jumper by Iverson gave Philadelphia its biggest lead at 59-41 with 8:30 left in the third quarter.