Allen Iverson Live

The Philadelphia 76ers have officially announced that Allen Iverson will not return for the rest of the season. As you all know by now, Iverson has mostly been absent from the team for a month, returning to Atlanta to be with his family as they deal with an undisclosed illness of his 4-year-old daughter, Messiah.

Here’s what team president Ed Stefanski said,

“After discussing the situation with Allen, we have come to the conclusion that he will not return to the Sixers for the remainder of the season, as he no longer wishes to be a distraction to the organization and teammates that he loves very deeply.”

“It has been very difficult for Allen and the team to maintain any consistency as he tries to balance his career with his personal life.”

The 34-year-old Iverson made a tearful return to Philadelphia eager to prove he wasn’t finished after disastrous stints in Detroit and Memphis. He returned to a sold-out crowd dotted with No. 3 jerseys, and showed flashes of his former playmaking self when he ruled the NBA as one of the best guards around. He scored at least 20 points six times—including a 23-point effort in a game against the Lakers that turned into a throwback 1-on-1 duel vs. Kobe Bryant.

Iverson said at a Feb. 15 practice that it was emotionally draining to leave his family to play basketball.

“It was tough to leave her and my wife and kids,” Iverson said. “But I do have a commitment and an obligation to be with my team and to do my job. But it is rough. I think this is the only thing I do in life where for a couple hours during the game I don’t think about nothing but (basketball).”

Today is a sad day for Allen Iverson fans.  We all had hope that Allen would eventually return to the Sixers.  Unfortunately, his family is taking precedence.  Hopefully though, there is still a ray of hope that Iverson will return to the NBA in the future.

Last weekend Allen Iverson was scheduled to start in his 11th NBA All Star game, but the Philadelphia 76er was notably absent from the festivities. Instead, Allen was at home in Atlanta, tending to his seriously ill daughter Messiah, 4.

“I have five kids,” Allen, 34, pointed out after practice in Philadelphia on Monday. “None of them have ever been this sick. It’s a first-time thing for me.”

Adding to his anxiety is the fact that doctors aren’t totally sure about what ails Messiah. She has been in and out of a hospital in Atlanta and will now travel to Philadelphia to undergo treatment at Children’s Hospital.

“If they find out its pneumonia, which they hope it’s not, they’re going to have to admit her again,” Allen reveals. “All I do is just pray on it … ’cause that’s all that can be done right now, ’cause they don’t know exactly what’s wrong with her.”

“I like to look at myself as a strong person, especially dealing with everything in my life. But this is a totally different situation; you find out you’re not as tough as you thought you were when it’s one of your kids.”

Doctors have assured Allen that they’ll “get to the bottom of” Messiah’s symptoms, assurances that have given the point guard peace of mind — to a point. “You look at them eye to eye and you can tell they truly believe that,” he says. “You kind of feel comfortable about it.”

Enough so that Allen has agreed to rejoin his team, after missing five games to be with Messiah. Noting that he has “a commitment and an obligation to be with” the 76ers, Allen says he’s hoping his return to the court will help him stay focused at home.

“I think this is the only thing I do in life where it’s for a couple hours during a game [that] I don’t think about [anything] but that,” he muses. “I think, in some type of way, that will help me deal with my [family] situation a little better.” He adds,

“The strongest man in the world … I don’t think they could deal with it if something happened to one of their kids. I just love my kids.”
In addition to Messiah, Allen and wife Tawanna are parents to Tiaura, 14, Allen II, 11, Isaiah, 6, and Dream, 16 months.

Source: Philly.com

Allen Iverson and the Sixers have finally figured out the 4th quarter and finished strong to beat the Spurs 106-94.

The Sixers were 3-24 this season when they either trailed or were tied after three quarters. The fourth also has been their least productive quarter, averaging 23.4 points and shooting 43.1 percent from the field.

But the Sixers reversed that trend against San Antonio. They opened the fourth quarter down three but outscored the Spurs 33-18, including an 18-3 run.

For those that still don’t believe Allen Iverson is a team player, check this stat out: AI had 7 points, 4 assists, and 8 rebounds. Yes – 8 Rebounds for the barely 6 foot guard.

AI is showing that he is willing to do anything for the team, even if it means being a little monster on the boards.

Note: The last time Iverson played the spurs, he piled up 42 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in a 103-100 overtime victory Feb. 15, 2006.

Allen Iverson will sit out a second straight game because one of his children is ill.

Team officials say Allen Iverson will miss Friday’s game against the New Orleans Hornets. He also sat out the 76ers’ overtime win over Chicago on Wednesday. He will be a game-time decision for Saturday’s game at Houston.

Iverson is back in Denver. Tonight, the 76ers point guard, traded by the Sixers to the Denver Nuggets a little more than three years ago, will play at his onetime stomping ground, the Pepsi Center.

At 8 p.m., the Sixers will tip off the finale of a five-game Western road trip that started Dec. 26 against Utah and has covered four states. Yesterday, the Sixers practiced at UCLA before flying to Denver. Iverson, who returned to the Sixers on Dec. 7, a home game against the Nuggets, will likely start tonight. On Dec. 19, 2006, the Sixers traded the franchise point guard and 2001 NBA MVP to the Nuggets for a package that included point guard Andre Miller. Last off-season, Miller signed with Portland.

Thanks for all your support for Allen Iverson Live for the last decade. Wishing you a happy new year and all the best in 2010. As always, Allen Iverson Live will continue to you be your source for the latest AI news in the 2010. Let’s go Sixers!

In Allen Iverson’s first game back from knee injury, Philadelphia rallied to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 104-93.

Philadelphia (8-22) shot 75 percent during the third quarter and made 26 of 40 shots after halftime as the Sixers wiped out Portland’s 10-point lead in the third quarter.

The return of Iverson appeared to give Philadelphia a boost. Iverson’s first game since Dec. 16 wasn’t easy for the 34-year-old guard.

“Once I got my second wind I was all right. The first couple minutes I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest,” said Iverson, who in 31 minutes also handed out five assists and collected four rebounds.

Philadelphia lost three of four games with Iverson sidelined.

“Having Allen back helps. He’s a finisher. He can get to the line and get the ball to guy at the right time. We’ve missed that,” Brand said.

Allen Iverson’s line: 19Pts, 5Ast, 4Reb, 31Min

Report by the Oregonian: Allen Iverson spent about 20 extra minutes working out after the 76ers’ shootaround this morning, trying to get himself ready for tonight’s game against the Blazers.

“I feel a little better, just a little winded as expected,” Iverson said.

With Philadelphia coach Eddie Jordan feeding him passes and watching him intently, Iverson ran through a series of jump shots, lay ups, cuts and lateral movement drills to work his sore left knee.

“I’m ready to go as far as the knee is concerned,” Iverson said. “I’ll be ready to play tonight.”

Iverson said he didn’t know if he would start, but he didn’t seem too concerned about starting or coming off the bench.

“I feel like I can start, but it don’t matter,” Iverson said. “Whatever he asks me to do, that’s what I’ll do.”

Iverson had missed the 76ers’ previous four games after the knee started swelling and was drained three times two weeks ago. Iverson said the knee is better, but his legs need more work.

“We’ll just have to see how it goes playing in limited spurts and see what happens,” Iverson said. “Just the fact that I’m trying to get my legs back up under me, that’s the toughest part. Coming back the way I did.”

Just want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays. Thanks for all your support! Don’t forget that A.I. returns to action on Monday against Portland.

Good news is that Allen Iverson is scheduled to come back on Monday in Portland. He has been resting his arthritic knee for what will be four games. It will be interesting to see who Jordan starts in the backcourt then.

When Allen Iverson heard from doctors that he was diagnosed with arthritis in his left knee, only one word popped into his head: Old.

“That was the worst part of the whole thing,” Iverson said with a laugh yesterday after he watched the team practice at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. “You could have said anything but arthritis. I mean, that sounds so old. But it’s something that I’ve got to deal with and that’s what it is.”

After not playing for close to a month after his brief three-game stint with the Memphis Grizzlies this season, Iverson jumped right into the fray with the Sixers, admittedly out of shape and lacking his normal basketball skills. That didn’t stop him from putting in major minutes in his five games back in Philadelphia, as he’s averaged 34.4 minutes since returning.

It could have been what has cost him the past three games and perhaps two more.

“Just trying to jump back into it too soon,” Iverson said, when asked what he thought caused the injury. “I wasn’t ready, in no type of shape. I had the problem in my right leg [stress reaction of right fibula] and obviously I was favoring that leg and put all the pressure on my left and it flared up. It was just being out that long and coming right back and trying to jump right back into the war. My leg didn’t respond.”

Good News is that Iverson may be returning on Monday for Sixers’ game against Portland.

Some bad news for Allen Iverson and Sixers’ fans.

Allen Iverson has arthritis in the left knee and will not play for the Philadelphia 76ers at Boston on Friday night.

Iverson had an MRI on Thursday after he needed the knee drained twice this week. The Sixers listed Iverson as probable for Saturday’s game against the Clippers.

Finally! AI and the Sixers have snapped their 12-game losing skid with a convincing 117-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Thaddeus Young(notes) had 26 points and 14 rebounds, Allen Iverson(notes) scored 20 points
The Sixers had all five starters and two reserves score in double digits.

“We felt like once we did get a win, it was going to be extremely hard, one of the hardest games to win,” Iverson said. “It was totally opposite.”

A full house, video tribute and enough No. 3 jerseys in the crowd to fill two or three merchandise stands. Iverson kissed the 76ers logo, danced with his teammates and bowed to his adoring fans.

20,000 fans came out to support Iverson on his first night back home.  Unfortunately, the Sixers came up short as Denver Nuggets spoil Iverson’s return to Philadelphia with a 93-83 win over the 76ers on Monday night.

“I just felt like I was back home,” Iverson said. “It was deja vu. Just a real good feeling. The fans made it hard on me because they made me more nervous than I already was.”

Part 1 of 4 of an extended Q&A with AI and Ed Stefanski. Allen chokes up when talking about his opportunity to return to Philly.

I have been having some problems with my Web Host due to the traffic generated by the recent news of Allen Iverson rejoining the 76ers. We should be back up and running to normal very shortly. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Without a clear-cut suitor emerging to sign him, All-Star guard Allen Iverson(notes) announced his retirement on Wednesday.

Iverson, who has played 14 seasons in the NBA, thought he was close to signing with the New York Knicks last week only to be told team officials had a change of heart.

“I would like to announce my plans to retire from the National Basketball Association,” Iverson said in a statement released to Stephen A. Smith, who first announced Iverson’s decision on his personal web site. “I always thought that when I left the game, it would be because I couldn’t help my team the way that I was accustomed to. However, that is not the case.

“I still have tremendous love for the game, the desire to play, and a whole lot left in my tank. I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level.”

The question: Will Iverson stay retired?

“I expect him to stay retired if a great, mutual situation doesn’t come about,” said Iverson’s friend and former teammate Eric Snow. “His legacy has been established.

“Wonderful career. Right thing to do for his family,” Iverson’s manager, Gary Moore told Yahoo! Sports. “It’s no secret that Allen has been unfairly treated through all this. The fact is his family needs him more.”

Iverson, 34, thanked his fans, family and friends and former coaches and teammates in his statement.

“To Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Charles Barkley and Larry Bird, you guys gave me the vision to play the game that will be forever in my heart,” Iverson said. “To my Mom, who encouraged and inspired me to play every day, and to all of my family and friends who stood by me from the beginning. Thank you!”

“I’m not playing basketball no more to make money or anything like that or fame,” he said. “I’ve been there and did that. I just want to be happy doing what I love to do.

“If I felt I had to sell myself or sell out to be somebody that I’m not, then I wouldn’t do it anymore. I’d be playing at the YMCA.”