Allen Iverson 11pts vs Kings in 17mins action 09/10 NBA *Memphis Grizzlies Debut *Welcome BackBackAllen Iverson(notes) made his debut with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, and it went about as expected. He spent much of the night on the sideline. And he wasnt happy about it. Nor, it seems, was his rear. I had a problem with my butt from sitting on the bench so long, Iverson said. Thats the only thing I had a problem with. Iverson made his first appearance in an NBA game since April 1, and not much had changed in the seven months in between. The Grizzlies brought him off the bench just like the Detroit Pistons tried to do, and Iverson didnt like it. Not after watching the Grizzlies lose 127-116 in overtime to the lowly Sacramento Kings. Not after he played just 17 minutes an effective 17 minutes in which he scored 11 points and not after seeing his new team fall to 1-3 while he sat idly on the sideline. Upon signing with the Grizzlies this summer, Iverson said he would have no problem coming off the bench provided he was given a chance to compete for the starting job. That, however, was then. This is now. Iverson is a tremendous competitor and fiercely proud. Not even missing Memphis first three games along with the entire preseason with a hamstring injury seems to have tempered his distaste for bench work. After the game, Iverson had no problem stating matter-of-factly and loudly just so everyone in the locker room could hear, including starting guards Mike Conley(notes) and O.J. Mayo(notes), who was seated next to him that the Grizzlies would need to make a change if they continue to lose. Specifically, theyd need to start him. Im not a reserve basketball player, Iverson said. Ive never been a reserve all my life and Im not going to start looking at myself as a reserve. Thats something for the media to talk about. Its only a big issue when the media talks about it. The subject never came up in my career until everything happened in Detroit. No one talked about me being a sub or anything like that until last year. In all the other years of my career, its never come up. Ive been a starter on All-Star teams, Olympic teams and NBA Finals teams. Its just a big deal now. I think it is something people should let go. To answer your question, no, Im not a bench player or the sixth man. Go look at my resume, it will show you that Im not a sixth man. For all of Iversons accomplishments, however, the Grizzlies were the only team to show any significant interest in him when he became a free agent this summer. They ultimately signed him to a one-year, $3 million contract. Iversons stock dropped, in part, because of his experience with the Pistons an experiment gone bad. From his arrival into the NBA to the end of his tenure with the Denver Nuggets early last season, Iverson had started 827 of 832 regular-season games. Iverson says the Pistons rookie coach, Michael Curry, promised him when he joined the team that he would continue to start. After Curry eventually relegated him to the bench, Iverson openly complained about his reserve role and said he would rather retire. The Pistons, citing Iversons back problems, sent him home for the remainder of the season. Iverson was hoping this season would provide a fresh start. He made his first appearance on Monday with 4:39 left in the first quarter, but took only one shot in the first half and missed. Kings fans heckled him by saying he should retire. When Iverson returned in the second half, he looked much more like The Answer of old. He scored 11 points in the half, even making a key 3-pointer, and didnt force the action. His cross-over mid-range jump shot looked as pretty as ever. I felt like me, Iverson said. Ive been playing basketball for 26 years. It felt like riding a bike. Thats what I do. Im a professional. I felt like me out there. I havent played in a long time, so obviously I had a lot of time to rest. So I wasnt tired. But with the game tied at 94 with 4:49 left in the fourth quarter, Memphis coach Lionel Hollins replaced Iverson with Conley. Iverson was visibly upset while heading to the bench and begrudgingly slapped hands with Hollins. With 1.4 seconds left in regulation and the game still tied, Hollins put Iverson back on the floor. In the past, Iverson would have been almost certain to take the final shot. Instead, Zach Randolph(notes) threw away a bad pass to send the game into OT while Iverson stood alone in the corner, unguarded. I went to the bench and told my teammates that I didnt think they knew I was in the game, Iverson said. They didnt. They didnt even think I was in the game and that was a bad thing. I was like, Man, I was wide-open. Obviously, [the Kings] didnt think I was in the game because someone big ended up on me. I guess [the Grizzlies] got used to me sitting so long that I didnt even get in the game. Iverson wanted to clarify that he wouldnt complain if the Grizzlies were winning. But they didnt, and they arent. Category: Sports Uploaded: November 4th, 2009 @ 3:36 am Author: pennyccw Length: 02:18 Rating: Views: Tags: michael jordan paul pierce celtics finals kevin garnett walker bulls lebron james dunk usa olympics mvpbasketball kobe byrant dwayne wade yao yi iverson mayo beasley derrick rose shaq bird johnson heat lakers carter vc ai mj tmac 2k9 live 08 09 mvp reebok nike highlight the answer detroit pistons joe dumars rasheeed wallace mix comercial crossover denver nuggets scottie pippen Related Video Links:» View Video Comments For Allen Iverson 11pts vs Kings in 17mins action 09/10 NBA *Memphis Grizzlies Debut *Welcome Back » View pennyccw's Other Uploaded Videos Video Thumbnails:Video Embedding Code:* Embed this video on your website, social bookmark, myspace, or blog. |
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