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Philadelphia 76ers

The Maturation of A.I.

By scottiekeig, Section NBA
Posted on Tue Jan 17 2006 at 3:06 PM EST Printer Friendly Page
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Of all the intriquing storylines and subplots of the 2005-2006 season, one has stood out. In a two-month span of time that has seen Kobe Bryant score sixty-two points in three quarters, the Detriot Pistons mentioned in the same sentence as the 95-96 Bulls, a shifting in the balance of power from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference, and as of last night, a new rivalry born,(yes, that would be Andrew Bynum versus Shaq)it has been the off-the-court development of one Allen Iverson that has intrigued me the most.

Like never before in his brilliant, not-showing-any-sign-of-slowing-down-at-thirty career, the Answer has truly been the answer for an otherwise mediocre 76ers team. Being on a young team has forced Iverson to assume a greater leadership role than he has in years past. To the astonishment of many in the media, playing the role of wise, experienced veteran is something Iverson has not only excelled at, but relished. Gone are the headlines of Iverson the malcontent, of perpetual sparring between Iverson and whoever his head coach may be at a particular time, and gone are they days of press conferences forever remembered by one word, "practice."

Iverson's behavior has not only exerted a positive influence on his team, but also on the NBA as a whole. In a day and age in which players loath the commitment and sacrifice inherent in representing their country at the Olympics, Iverson has stepped up to the plate by saying he would be "honored" to wear the red, white, and blue of team USA. Iverson, in fact, was one of the lone bright spots during the Athens debacle of 2004. Playing team ball, coexisting with former nemesis Larry Brown, and proudly accepting a bronze medal on behalf of his country were all examples of the new and improved Iverson.

One last thing needs to be mentioned. As unbelievable as it sounds, the new and improved A.I. has improved on the court as well. This year Iverson is challenging his personal best for field goal percentage, while dishing out roughly eight assists per game. On top of that, his turnovers are down. And did I mention he is currently the league's second leading scorer.

Yes, it is certainly turning into a banner year for Iverson, who is now receiving the endorsement overtures he never thought would come, and receiving praise from the unlikeliest of sources, i.e., David Stern. Not bad for a former public enemy number one who was supposed to have broken down by now.

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The Maturation of A.I. | 3 comments (3 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Iverson (#1)
by Mark Cunningham on Thu Jan 19 2006 at 3:28 PM EST
Funny that a day after you wrote this column Iverson walks off the court with 20 seconds remaining. He was not on the bench and decided go to the locker room. He had just shot a free throw and as New Jersey was running the clock out, AI casually walked off leaving four 76ers on the court! Maybe his maturity level has not come as far as we thought.

I didn't see that (#2)
by Editor on Thu Jan 19 2006 at 4:48 PM EST
I turned it off with a minute left. Did you see how terribly the Sixers played in the beginning of the 4th when only KK was in there?

[ Parent ]
KK (#3)
by Mark Cunningham on Thu Jan 19 2006 at 6:26 PM EST
Korver is a good threat with range similar to J.J. Redick, but needs a good supporting cast to get him the ball coming off screens. Philadelphia is struggling and if they want to make the playoffs, they better pick it up a notch because the Eastern Conference has good depth this year.

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The Maturation of A.I. | 3 comments (3 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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