January 31, 2022 • 29 mins
Hosted by Sarah Kustok, NBA Flashback is the podcast that takes you back to the best moments in NBA history through exclusive archival audio from the NBA vault, along with new interviews with the players and coaches who were in the building.
In this episode of NBA Flashback we go back to Jan. 15th, 2002 and relive the night Allen Iverson dropped a then career-high 58 points on the Rockets in a come from behind OT win in Philly. We talk with A.I.'s teammate, Speedy Claxton, about what it was like meeting and playing with Iverson, his idol. Speedy also tells us how he shut down Steve Francis in that game, what he learned from Iverson, and how many points he thinks A.I. could score in today's NBA.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
NBA Flashback is a production of I Heart Radio and
the NBA plays this guy that's such courage. You love
the fact that he is fearless. At least once a game,
(00:23):
this guy will do something that makes you just fall
out of your seat. That question I Allen iverson the answer.
Today we go back twenty years and take a closer
look at one of the best games he ever played,
and you might not even remember it. I'm Sarah Kustack
(00:50):
and you're listening to NBA Flashback, the show that takes
you back to the greatest moments in NBA history, using
archival audio from the NBA as well as new interviews
with the players and coaches who were in the building.
In this episode of NBA Flashback, we go back to
January two thousand two, when The Lord of the Rings
(01:12):
was the biggest movie in the world. Tom Brady was
about to win his first Super Bowl, and a certain intense, competitive,
hard working guard was lighting up the court in Chicago.
It was me that was a sophomore to Paul, not Jordan's.
He was on the Wizards. Then today we are talking
(01:34):
with two thousand three NBA champion, current Hofstra head basketball
coach Speedy Klaxton about the night his teammate Alan Iverson
scored a then career high fifty eight points as he
brought the Sixers back to beat the Rockets in overtime.
And this episode was incredible. I enjoyed it, of course,
thinking about watching Allen Iverson when he was drafted. I
(01:57):
was just about to start high school, and I think
he shared the attention of everyone who loved and was
passionate about basketball, with his prolific scoring at his size,
the handles that he had and studying the game, studying film.
He was someone who I would watch continuously and then
to hear Speedy tell a story which you're gonna love
(02:17):
about the first time that he got to meet Ai,
his idol, someone he looked up to. And I think
for all of us who had that experience, whether taking
the court, with becoming a teammate with or just watching
some of these players now, is I cover the league
getting a chance to see what it's like to be
with people that they admire. It was a really really
(02:39):
special opportunity to hear Speedy story about it. Mark zoom Off,
Steve Mix and d Line them on the call starts
for Matt heartbread to Cambaya Tumbo, Derek Coleman, Alan Iverson
and Eric Snow the Sixer offense much better lately, are
brown again saying to Friday win here against sant Antoni
(03:00):
are the best of the season, though his team terrific
at both ends of the floor. The floor tonight the
First Junion Center, where we are joined by d line Mark.
The facts are this. The Sixers are four games below
five hundred, which places them tenth in the Eastern Conference standings.
But if you look inside those numbers, you will see
that Philadelphia has two very different records with or without
(03:23):
Alan Iverson in their lineup. When Ai was sidelined with
elbow or thumb injuries for seven games, the Sixers were
winless when he and his twenty eight points per game
had been available. The Sixers are three games over five hundred,
which puts them right in the thick of the Eastern
Conference playoff picture. So the moral to the story would
be Keith number three healthy, because that's the magic number.
(03:47):
Ario Well, speedy, thank you so much for being here
with us, uh enjoining us to share some of these memories.
But I want you to take us back. You were
drafted in two thousand, but didn't play that first season
because of a knee injury. However, starting your NBA career
playing alongside Alan Iverson, what was that like at the time.
It was though because as a person who I kind
(04:08):
of looked up to as a player, like I was
a fan of his, so again drafted and being able
to be around him, Um, it was kind of where
I'm like, I'm looking at like, oh my god, I
can't believe I'm playing with Alan Avison, Like this is
my idol right here, Like this is wild. Um. But
then you gotta go practice against them, and it's like, Okay,
now I gotta guard him. Man. I looked up to him,
and now I gotta be teammates with them. Man. It
(04:29):
was just a weird situation when you first met, like
first day of practice, first preseason introduct you talking about
how you watched him so much and he was someone
that that you idolized or looked up to. What was
your first interaction with him like and and then your
relationship going forward. It was actually in a summertime, probably
like the energy Lie early August. I was down in
(04:53):
the practical practice, really working out, and he just made
a rare appearance because it's a summertime. So he made
a very ars in practicecility and I was Rember. I
was working on one end. I just heard his voice.
I said, oh, I said, oh hey, I was him. Yeah,
this is crazy about me. I'm about to be my idol.
So he came up and walked over. He said was
(05:13):
so speed. I'm like, oh my god, I was he
he I know he knew my name, but I'm like
this dad, that's crazy, Like, hey, I actually can said
my name. This is dope. Um. So I fenced my
workout and then a couple of the guys, him and
Aaron McKee and Eric's know what's going over so um
to work out of temple to play you know, open
gym or whatever pick up. So they invited me. So
(05:35):
I was like, all right, cool, let's go. So I
went over there. Um we're playing and I know I
was showing out and he was like my biggest cheer leader.
It was so dope. He was like, yeah, that's what
I'm talking about. He said, Yo, we I can't wait
till this year, like the leagual knows in for them.
I'm like, yo, this is crazy, Like hey, yeah, I
was actually a fanom mine, right, So that was my
first interaction with him. It's just it's really dope. Well,
(05:57):
I would never forget that. Sixers coaching Ry Brown reflected
back on Iverson's thoughts on practice in when we talk
about practice, I have to laugh about that because, to
be honest, I could get a lot of accomplished, but
when it came time to win a game and he
stepped between the lines. For a coach, to know somebody's
(06:20):
going to give you his very best every minute of
every game, that's an unbelievable feeling to have. And maybe
at the time I didn't always know that, but now
I know it and respect it and love it, and
that's why I think I'm so attached to It's amazing.
It's amazing to think about it. It's amazing how much
(06:41):
we still talk about that so many years later. Now
I know you didn't play in that first season. The
in the run to the finals where just lost to
the Lakers, kicks it open Iverson, Yes, Yes, Philadelphia Leita
with one nineteen left and over time takes on the Lakers.
(07:01):
Now what On one of ninety nine, Iverson against Tyrone
Loup baseline righty backs up he fires two ball, got
it again? He's quite too short. He steps around, loop
and drollon. Now the sectors of score nine in a row?
Are you kidding me? What a ball game here? And
came one of the NBA finals for for you, being
a young player in just your introduction to the league,
(07:23):
how did you take that all in and understand too?
I'm sure it was an incredible thing, but also the
pressure that goes along with that. It was I mean
I was I didn't played that, Yes, I really just
got just had a clot side seat, um basically to
it um. But as I remembered going to I'm like, wow,
it's like that for that to be your first NBA experience,
(07:43):
it's really it's really eye opening. It's like, wow, this
is dope. Like I remember watching the finals on TV.
Now I'm actually caught side watching it live in person,
Like that's a that's a team, man, a team, Like
damn baby, this timing, let's make it so. It was
(08:15):
just an amazing overall feeling. I was truly truly known
for good. What about for you? You talk about watching
him him being a role model, you coming in as
a rookie, and how you looked at him and the
impression of him, but actually being around him, playing with him.
What are some of the biggest takeaways that you got
(08:35):
from him being a teammate after watching him for so
many years. I would say being the Ulsman Ulzman competitor
and Hayden to lose. Larry Brown shared a similar sentiment
in that interview what to fined Allen irishoners every place
where played, it was a sellout and everybody came to
(08:58):
watch him. And every time he stepped out on the
court with the finale and Irish and he's just trying
to win the game and was going to compete harder
than anybody. And everybody who played with him understood that.
Everybody played against him respected that, and every coach that
ever been around him admired it. But he absolutely hated losing.
(09:22):
And you know you're gonna be a pro, a really
good pro. It's different now. I don't think it's peel.
I don't think it's kids really care about losing. But
back in the days like it meant something to us
and I got I got de fite happy. Now let's
get into the game. January two thousand two, Speedy is
(09:44):
off the bench and out of the court right next
to AI. People so often think of him deservedly so
as a score, but he led the league and steals
(10:07):
three years in a row. Describe what he was like
on the defensive end, Well, he was a gambler. He
was a good anticipator. Is like Q defensively was you know,
at all time high. So if his man would was
going to screen away, you know he's going with his man.
(10:27):
I can't turn around and shoot through the gap and
get it still. So he kind of was really smart
in that area. He kind of knew from being I
guess you know what I think, from being such a
good offensive player, it made him a good defender because
he kind of knew what what the offense is trying
to do. So you talk about just complimentary pieces around him,
(10:48):
And we mentioned that you're a young player at the time, Um,
but you were the second leading scorer. What was it
like and he came off the bench in this one.
How did you view your role on this team and
what it was that you needed to do. I needed
to get allen overs and the ball get out the way,
and if I had an open jumper, I was supposed
(11:10):
to take it and make it and that was my
role you want to play, I tell you what. Prances
got burned by classes, but he was forced into the baseline.
And as soon as my tumble went high, the defensive
player went where the Prances got left holding the back
wasn't the way anything about the speed is speeding? Might
(11:32):
say this made is this game? Da? Mike say yeah,
and that's kind of what I did that again against Houston. Listen,
he had to go and you get him the ball,
let him do what he do, and if they double
off of you, you gotta make him pay double upon Claxton.
It's just that, right, Claxton. That was the biggest thing
(11:53):
with playing with such a prolific car like you knew
that they were gonna have to double team him, which
they had a double team love somebody, So somebody was
gonna get a free open shot, and the best believe
you want to stay on the court, you have to
knock that down. Flashing stressed to do so. Speedy four
or four speedy Claxton the man off the bench tonight.
(12:16):
Thus far for the Sixers. What about the Kima Metown
bow because he was a little past his prime at
this point, But what what was his value to the
team and how he fit in camp was used because
you know, especially for us, because we played a smaller
back cut with me and Ai, so we needed a
big presence down load. That was a good shot blockers.
(12:38):
Stop this track by stuff from Thomas the summit by
the tuckle, who is there to flo the transition is
fouled in the act and he won't put in the
line for two. All began by the great defender. But
I would like to see the Tumbell actually do a
little bit more of this coming over from the week side.
(12:59):
Get the boy getting the block, great block, buying the
tumble at least to an opportunity for the six years.
So the teams decided to take us into the post.
You know, we can bring help. So that's where the
Cambridge value is. So looks that way this first field. Yeah,
(13:22):
he was a little slower at that point, but he
was still he was still a good shot blocker. So
you talk about if a I was getting double teamed
and guys getting some open looks and whatnot. But we
saw stretches in this game in particular, but so often
through his career he was just scoring in bunches and
seemed impossible to stop. Um. What was it like being
(13:44):
out the court watching him and playing alongside that, you know,
it was an amazing feeling. Like I said, I was
a fan, so to be able to not watch it
on TV and be but be that live at witness
probably his greatest season, That's something that I would never forget.
Like he was dropping every other night, like it was
nothing going on here in the first half purely four minutes.
(14:09):
He already has twenty years a guy who missed his
first four for the four since then he has been
the man. And to see somebody do it that's your size,
it was even more incredible. Can you talk more about
that because similar to you smaller, I mean he was
he was what it was six ft was he won six? Yeah,
(14:31):
And that's that's tough because you're going up against bigger,
stronger play is night in and night out, Like they
wouldn't have somebody the same size got like he always
had like a six six wing on them. And as
a ballplayer, it's tough to scull with somebody that has
(14:51):
that much of a hype advantage over you. And they're
not just tall, but these guys are long and athletic also,
so I mean that really throw off your shot, like
they can contest it and they can give you space
because of that land So I give him even more
credit because he was going to this really good for
mere defenders. Here at the First Union Center, we are
(15:13):
set for third quarter action. The Sixers trail the Rockets
by six. Not good as we saw. Speedy tax and
heading back to the locker room. When Larry Brown was
walking out to the court for the second quarter, he
was holding his right elbow. Larry asked him what happened.
Speedy said, I don't know. I shot the ball and
something happened. He felt something, So he's on his way
to go see Dr Jack mcfilney. Will stay on that. Meanwhile,
(15:34):
Larry Brown said, obviously we got beat on the triple
penetration and we did not handle the pick and roll. Well,
it's not a good matchup for the Ken May It's
a lot like the Orlando game. He said. These guys
have shooters and they're making shots, so let's hope the
perimeter defense picks up. At halftime, the Rockets are up
by five and AI has twenty points. You have eight
points at this time. De line them, though reported during
(15:57):
halftime that you had an injury right elbow going into
the locker room. Do you remember this, I don't remember that.
I don't remember that, but I guess it helped me
for the second half. Yeah, okay, alright, good good, You're
tough just through uh so halftime locker room. Larry Brown
is the coach at the time, one of the all
time greats. Do you recall what Larry would have said
(16:19):
or what what the message would have been. You know,
it probably would want somewhere along the lines of to
keep playing defense. You know, Houston was a high our team,
offensive team. They had a lot of firepower with Steve
Francis continue Mobile, most of Norris come off the bench.
So we knew it was gonna be tough to outscore them, obviously,
(16:41):
so we wanted to be strong on at the defensive
end and be able to guard those guys. What was
it like playing for Larry? I love I love Lar Brown.
You know, he was probably my favorite NBA coach that
uh you know, obviously he's my first NBA coach, but
then so we just developed as the national currency. That
(17:01):
was my first NBA coach, But he's the only one
I still talked to to this day. But he was
a great act and old guy. He was really good
game management and you know, making changes during the game.
But LBAs, he's a whole famine man. What about Ai?
What was he like halftime or the locker room? Was
(17:23):
he quiet? Was he chatty? What was his disposition during games?
And during it game like this one? He was he
was more reserved. Um kind of just lucked in and
in his zone. You know, whether he was having a
big scoring night. Uh, even if he had a bad
first half, he knew that at some point shots was
gonna start going in. I heard somebody sure did and
(17:49):
Alice got and you know, we're encouraged him because we
knew we went as as he did matter and then
some for the Sixers tonight, he's got twenty six of
their fifty eight points. All right, So in this one
middle of the fourth quarter, you guys are down by
(18:09):
six and part of the comeback you get to go
in with a big jumper. It was assisted by a
I wasn't Clason, Yes, Speedy Classton seven, he's got sixteen.
He and Arverson with fifty three of the Sixers three.
Speedy Claston coming up big once again and for Clashton
(18:32):
seventh of eight, He's got sixteen. Good night for Speedy.
How would you describe your connection with him on the floor, Um,
and just the continuity that you two had in the backcourt. Um.
I think it was good. We kind of I kind
of knew how to play off him, and you know,
from watching him so much as a fan, I kind
(18:53):
of knew where he liked the ball, and I kind
of knew every move that he was going to make
before he he made it, which is why it was
actually easy, not easy, because it's never easy defending, but
when I got traded, it was kind of easier for
me to guard him because I kind of knew his
moves and knew what he was trying to, what spots
he was trying to get to. But that's why it
(19:13):
was easy for me to play off of him, because
I I knew it he wanted to do. Coming up,
we head down the stretch in Philly and Allen Iverson
puts on a show. He's a Man's happened? Francis keeping
(19:35):
watching off well with forty three marching of the nine
looking for one more back in this one. Um, and
we mentioned this earlier. You had the responsibility garden, Steve Francis,
(19:58):
it looked like and you shut them down for the
most part in this one, but it looked like about
two minutes left in the game, you guys got a
little bit of an altercation. Remember that. I remember what happened.
We got with guys aren't letting you do what you
want to do. They tend to get mad, and that's
what happened. And there's Frances stirring divers shot and it's
(20:23):
too quickly separated. Speedy in my own cost the more
mild manner players I've ever met. Like you said, I
was locking them up. I was playing good defense, like
I'm supposed to do stop him, man, And he didn't
like that. Right here, Speedy just face guarding. Francis locked
(20:46):
them up pretty good. Look like France is taking obviously exception,
Like dude, I'm I'm supposed to try to stop you,
that's the objective. You're not You're not supposed to scoll
on me. And you know, the guys that that left,
they don't think that they could get stopped. So when
somebody's playing real defense on them, they think they're fouling them.
They trying and played dirt like no I'm just playing defense.
(21:07):
I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm playing defense like
I'm supposed to do. And that's kind of all that happened.
Did you enjoy guarding him? I love garden him. It's
funny because people talk about how nice he was, and
I'm like, he was all right in my mind, like
he was all right, Like he wasn't anything special, like
he wasn't know Alan Ibinson, know Steve Nash, Like, um, yeah,
(21:32):
I didn't think he was that level personally because you
were able to lock him down. It's probably It's probably
why the final stretch of regulation in this one, h
Ai has fourteen to the final sixteen points I got
away from Christinas, He's got seven for the game, and
(21:57):
the Sixers are down one hut. Swing got a small
lineup of Larry Brown's work in the profession. I got
to steal on very nonchalant at the top of the basketball.
(22:17):
We start for the six Ers of one in the
middle of a twelve to run. What was he like
during crunch time a games, or when it was go
time to try and close things out. Give me the
ball and let me do what I need to do.
He he didn't care if he missed or not, Like
(22:38):
he wanted the ball and crunch times and we were
gonna ride a dive with him, and we knew that.
And you know, most time he can't do for us.
I don't remember too many times where he didn't make
big shots, but that that year specifically, it was big
shot after big shot, and it was it was really unejoyable.
(23:00):
It's kind of just to see him go through that.
He forced over time in this one with two clutch
free throws. How good was he at drawn contact um
and how much did he frustrate guys, and how he
(23:20):
was able, especially at his size, to play so physically.
You know, he was able to draw fouls because he
was playing against big guys, so he just he knew
that he would use his size to his advantage. Like
so somebody trying to get over aggressive with him, you know,
he'll bump off from him and they'll look like a
foul because they're way bigger, and he would get those claws.
(23:42):
And that's something that I kind of learned from him
by Washington, like this, Okay, okay, use your size to
your van. It's like, don't they will be physical with you,
but you gotta play into that and act like their
their families partim into more to sixteen and six all
(24:03):
here in the overtime period was fifty three points away
from time. Alright, so we're really making you dig back
in the memory bank. Uh alan isis one in overtime
big three pointers for drag high two six pis he
(24:27):
coos those sixers up five four, had a couple more
file shots. Fifty eight for Armerson and let me add
parenthetically go with no less emphasis, a perfect fourteen of
fourteen from the line his team up six in the overtime,
(24:50):
and then of course got to fifty eight to set
his new career high. At the time, do you remember
what the atmosphere was like in the building, um, and
what the crowd was like at that point? It was electric.
I mean every game though it was electric for us
like that year. I mean the whole the whole city
was behind us like that. Obviously, everybody know that Philly,
(25:12):
Philadelphia is a really big sports team, and then when
you have a winning product, they really show up. I
remember just everywhere you went around the city was it
was six and f six is that we were to
talk to the town. So every game was jam packed
you know, it was hard to get a ticket and
the building was just electrified. Was the curly real thing
(25:34):
in the closing seconds for this game to remember three
who a career highly one of boty team from the
barm in perfect fourteen or fourteen from the line, eight
points in a roun twelve one oh six overtime win
(25:59):
for his sixe were up on tenth straight. But there
last second two thousand two and here's the line on
the man Alan last week, you made a fleet everyone
to just step it up a notch. Is this your
way of answering your own call? Yeah? I just wanted
to come in. You know, I just playing as hard
(26:19):
as I could. You know, we had a great game
against San Antonio, and I wanted everything to just carry you,
you know, being everything's going on in all of these days,
every dad, you want to come in and you know,
just let everybody know that I'm focused on basketball and
just winning. Everything's cool. I know you have an appreciation
for basketball around the league. Last night, Kobe Bryant scored
fifty six. Did you know that Does it inspire you
(26:40):
in any way? Yeah? I saw it last night, But
you know that's that's not any of my goals. You know,
I've wanted scoring titles and and things like that and
score for every points before, but I haven't won the championship.
That's the only thing that's on my mind right now.
All right, what was it? Still an impressive fifty eight?
So thanks for one. Do you remember what the locker
room was like for this game? It was buzzing. We
(27:02):
had a good team, We had a good MIxS Um,
everybody got along and no one was jealous of each other. Um,
no one was jealous that I was getting all the
most of the credit. We was just loving the fact
that we were winning and we were having a remarkable season.
When you think about AI, how would you put in
context his impact on the NBA and on the game
(27:25):
of basketball. He changed it. He changed it. You know,
there weren't really many smaller guards doing what he was
doing at the time. There was a couple of people
throughout the NBA game that kind of just that changed
the game. Like we're seeing Stephen Curry, he changed the game.
Thing when Michael in the league, he changed the game.
(27:45):
I think Alan Abvison as another person that was a
game changing Lebron also, So there's only a couple of
only a couple of guys that kind of changed the
landscape of the NBA when they were in that problem.
I think I was one of them. You were talking
about the size and the size of AI and the game, um,
and it's it's changed so much. The NBA game now
(28:06):
has gone a lot smaller. I mean, you played in
a time where big men really dominated and that's been
altered some how. Do you think Tracey McGrady has talked
about how many points he would score if he played
it in an era like this? When you think about
Allen Iverson playing now, what what type of numbers do
you think he'd be putting up? Man, that little dude
(28:29):
might be nowadays? Um, with different rules and the hand
checking rules. It's amazing, speedy. Thank you so much for
your time, for the memories and for everything. We certainly
appreciate it and enjoy reflecting back on all of this. Okay,
thank you, guys. NBA Flashback is a production of I
(28:51):
Heart Radio and the NBA. For more podcasts from I
Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts. They fo
NBA Flashback is a production of I Heart Radio and
the NBA plays this guy that's such courage. You love
the fact that he is fearless. At least once a game,
(00:23):
this guy will do something that makes you just fall
out of your seat. That question I Allen iverson the answer.
Today we go back twenty years and take a closer
look at one of the best games he ever played,
and you might not even remember it. I'm Sarah Kustack
(00:50):
and you're listening to NBA Flashback, the show that takes
you back to the greatest moments in NBA history, using
archival audio from the NBA as well as new interviews
with the players and coaches who were in the building.
In this episode of NBA Flashback, we go back to
January two thousand two, when The Lord of the Rings
(01:12):
was the biggest movie in the world. Tom Brady was
about to win his first Super Bowl, and a certain intense, competitive,
hard working guard was lighting up the court in Chicago.
It was me that was a sophomore to Paul, not Jordan's.
He was on the Wizards. Then today we are talking
(01:34):
with two thousand three NBA champion, current Hofstra head basketball
coach Speedy Klaxton about the night his teammate Alan Iverson
scored a then career high fifty eight points as he
brought the Sixers back to beat the Rockets in overtime.
And this episode was incredible. I enjoyed it, of course,
thinking about watching Allen Iverson when he was drafted. I
(01:57):
was just about to start high school, and I think
he shared the attention of everyone who loved and was
passionate about basketball, with his prolific scoring at his size,
the handles that he had and studying the game, studying film.
He was someone who I would watch continuously and then
to hear Speedy tell a story which you're gonna love
(02:17):
about the first time that he got to meet Ai,
his idol, someone he looked up to. And I think
for all of us who had that experience, whether taking
the court, with becoming a teammate with or just watching
some of these players now, is I cover the league
getting a chance to see what it's like to be
with people that they admire. It was a really really
(02:39):
special opportunity to hear Speedy story about it. Mark zoom Off,
Steve Mix and d Line them on the call starts
for Matt heartbread to Cambaya Tumbo, Derek Coleman, Alan Iverson
and Eric Snow the Sixer offense much better lately, are
brown again saying to Friday win here against sant Antoni
(03:00):
are the best of the season, though his team terrific
at both ends of the floor. The floor tonight the
First Junion Center, where we are joined by d line Mark.
The facts are this. The Sixers are four games below
five hundred, which places them tenth in the Eastern Conference standings.
But if you look inside those numbers, you will see
that Philadelphia has two very different records with or without
(03:23):
Alan Iverson in their lineup. When Ai was sidelined with
elbow or thumb injuries for seven games, the Sixers were
winless when he and his twenty eight points per game
had been available. The Sixers are three games over five hundred,
which puts them right in the thick of the Eastern
Conference playoff picture. So the moral to the story would
be Keith number three healthy, because that's the magic number.
(03:47):
Ario Well, speedy, thank you so much for being here
with us, uh enjoining us to share some of these memories.
But I want you to take us back. You were
drafted in two thousand, but didn't play that first season
because of a knee injury. However, starting your NBA career
playing alongside Alan Iverson, what was that like at the time.
It was though because as a person who I kind
(04:08):
of looked up to as a player, like I was
a fan of his, so again drafted and being able
to be around him, Um, it was kind of where
I'm like, I'm looking at like, oh my god, I
can't believe I'm playing with Alan Avison, Like this is
my idol right here, Like this is wild. Um. But
then you gotta go practice against them, and it's like, Okay,
now I gotta guard him. Man. I looked up to him,
and now I gotta be teammates with them. Man. It
(04:29):
was just a weird situation when you first met, like
first day of practice, first preseason introduct you talking about
how you watched him so much and he was someone
that that you idolized or looked up to. What was
your first interaction with him like and and then your
relationship going forward. It was actually in a summertime, probably
like the energy Lie early August. I was down in
(04:53):
the practical practice, really working out, and he just made
a rare appearance because it's a summertime. So he made
a very ars in practicecility and I was Rember. I
was working on one end. I just heard his voice.
I said, oh, I said, oh hey, I was him. Yeah,
this is crazy about me. I'm about to be my idol.
So he came up and walked over. He said was
(05:13):
so speed. I'm like, oh my god, I was he
he I know he knew my name, but I'm like
this dad, that's crazy, Like, hey, I actually can said
my name. This is dope. Um. So I fenced my
workout and then a couple of the guys, him and
Aaron McKee and Eric's know what's going over so um
to work out of temple to play you know, open
gym or whatever pick up. So they invited me. So
(05:35):
I was like, all right, cool, let's go. So I
went over there. Um we're playing and I know I
was showing out and he was like my biggest cheer leader.
It was so dope. He was like, yeah, that's what
I'm talking about. He said, Yo, we I can't wait
till this year, like the leagual knows in for them.
I'm like, yo, this is crazy, Like hey, yeah, I
was actually a fanom mine, right, So that was my
first interaction with him. It's just it's really dope. Well,
(05:57):
I would never forget that. Sixers coaching Ry Brown reflected
back on Iverson's thoughts on practice in when we talk
about practice, I have to laugh about that because, to
be honest, I could get a lot of accomplished, but
when it came time to win a game and he
stepped between the lines. For a coach, to know somebody's
(06:20):
going to give you his very best every minute of
every game, that's an unbelievable feeling to have. And maybe
at the time I didn't always know that, but now
I know it and respect it and love it, and
that's why I think I'm so attached to It's amazing.
It's amazing to think about it. It's amazing how much
(06:41):
we still talk about that so many years later. Now
I know you didn't play in that first season. The
in the run to the finals where just lost to
the Lakers, kicks it open Iverson, Yes, Yes, Philadelphia Leita
with one nineteen left and over time takes on the Lakers.
(07:01):
Now what On one of ninety nine, Iverson against Tyrone
Loup baseline righty backs up he fires two ball, got
it again? He's quite too short. He steps around, loop
and drollon. Now the sectors of score nine in a row?
Are you kidding me? What a ball game here? And
came one of the NBA finals for for you, being
a young player in just your introduction to the league,
(07:23):
how did you take that all in and understand too?
I'm sure it was an incredible thing, but also the
pressure that goes along with that. It was I mean
I was I didn't played that, Yes, I really just
got just had a clot side seat, um basically to
it um. But as I remembered going to I'm like, wow,
it's like that for that to be your first NBA experience,
(07:43):
it's really it's really eye opening. It's like, wow, this
is dope. Like I remember watching the finals on TV.
Now I'm actually caught side watching it live in person,
Like that's a that's a team, man, a team, Like
damn baby, this timing, let's make it so. It was
(08:15):
just an amazing overall feeling. I was truly truly known
for good. What about for you? You talk about watching
him him being a role model, you coming in as
a rookie, and how you looked at him and the
impression of him, but actually being around him, playing with him.
What are some of the biggest takeaways that you got
(08:35):
from him being a teammate after watching him for so
many years. I would say being the Ulsman Ulzman competitor
and Hayden to lose. Larry Brown shared a similar sentiment
in that interview what to fined Allen irishoners every place
where played, it was a sellout and everybody came to
(08:58):
watch him. And every time he stepped out on the
court with the finale and Irish and he's just trying
to win the game and was going to compete harder
than anybody. And everybody who played with him understood that.
Everybody played against him respected that, and every coach that
ever been around him admired it. But he absolutely hated losing.
(09:22):
And you know you're gonna be a pro, a really
good pro. It's different now. I don't think it's peel.
I don't think it's kids really care about losing. But
back in the days like it meant something to us
and I got I got de fite happy. Now let's
get into the game. January two thousand two, Speedy is
(09:44):
off the bench and out of the court right next
to AI. People so often think of him deservedly so
as a score, but he led the league and steals
(10:07):
three years in a row. Describe what he was like
on the defensive end, Well, he was a gambler. He
was a good anticipator. Is like Q defensively was you know,
at all time high. So if his man would was
going to screen away, you know he's going with his man.
(10:27):
I can't turn around and shoot through the gap and
get it still. So he kind of was really smart
in that area. He kind of knew from being I
guess you know what I think, from being such a
good offensive player, it made him a good defender because
he kind of knew what what the offense is trying
to do. So you talk about just complimentary pieces around him,
(10:48):
And we mentioned that you're a young player at the time, Um,
but you were the second leading scorer. What was it
like and he came off the bench in this one.
How did you view your role on this team and
what it was that you needed to do. I needed
to get allen overs and the ball get out the way,
and if I had an open jumper, I was supposed
(11:10):
to take it and make it and that was my
role you want to play, I tell you what. Prances
got burned by classes, but he was forced into the baseline.
And as soon as my tumble went high, the defensive
player went where the Prances got left holding the back
wasn't the way anything about the speed is speeding? Might
(11:32):
say this made is this game? Da? Mike say yeah,
and that's kind of what I did that again against Houston. Listen,
he had to go and you get him the ball,
let him do what he do, and if they double
off of you, you gotta make him pay double upon Claxton.
It's just that, right, Claxton. That was the biggest thing
(11:53):
with playing with such a prolific car like you knew
that they were gonna have to double team him, which
they had a double team love somebody, So somebody was
gonna get a free open shot, and the best believe
you want to stay on the court, you have to
knock that down. Flashing stressed to do so. Speedy four
or four speedy Claxton the man off the bench tonight.
(12:16):
Thus far for the Sixers. What about the Kima Metown
bow because he was a little past his prime at
this point, But what what was his value to the
team and how he fit in camp was used because
you know, especially for us, because we played a smaller
back cut with me and Ai, so we needed a
big presence down load. That was a good shot blockers.
(12:38):
Stop this track by stuff from Thomas the summit by
the tuckle, who is there to flo the transition is
fouled in the act and he won't put in the
line for two. All began by the great defender. But
I would like to see the Tumbell actually do a
little bit more of this coming over from the week side.
(12:59):
Get the boy getting the block, great block, buying the
tumble at least to an opportunity for the six years.
So the teams decided to take us into the post.
You know, we can bring help. So that's where the
Cambridge value is. So looks that way this first field. Yeah,
(13:22):
he was a little slower at that point, but he
was still he was still a good shot blocker. So
you talk about if a I was getting double teamed
and guys getting some open looks and whatnot. But we
saw stretches in this game in particular, but so often
through his career he was just scoring in bunches and
seemed impossible to stop. Um. What was it like being
(13:44):
out the court watching him and playing alongside that, you know,
it was an amazing feeling. Like I said, I was
a fan, so to be able to not watch it
on TV and be but be that live at witness
probably his greatest season, That's something that I would never forget.
Like he was dropping every other night, like it was
nothing going on here in the first half purely four minutes.
(14:09):
He already has twenty years a guy who missed his
first four for the four since then he has been
the man. And to see somebody do it that's your size,
it was even more incredible. Can you talk more about
that because similar to you smaller, I mean he was
he was what it was six ft was he won six? Yeah,
(14:31):
And that's that's tough because you're going up against bigger,
stronger play is night in and night out, Like they
wouldn't have somebody the same size got like he always
had like a six six wing on them. And as
a ballplayer, it's tough to scull with somebody that has
(14:51):
that much of a hype advantage over you. And they're
not just tall, but these guys are long and athletic also,
so I mean that really throw off your shot, like
they can contest it and they can give you space
because of that land So I give him even more
credit because he was going to this really good for
mere defenders. Here at the First Union Center, we are
(15:13):
set for third quarter action. The Sixers trail the Rockets
by six. Not good as we saw. Speedy tax and
heading back to the locker room. When Larry Brown was
walking out to the court for the second quarter, he
was holding his right elbow. Larry asked him what happened.
Speedy said, I don't know. I shot the ball and
something happened. He felt something, So he's on his way
to go see Dr Jack mcfilney. Will stay on that. Meanwhile,
(15:34):
Larry Brown said, obviously we got beat on the triple
penetration and we did not handle the pick and roll. Well,
it's not a good matchup for the Ken May It's
a lot like the Orlando game. He said. These guys
have shooters and they're making shots, so let's hope the
perimeter defense picks up. At halftime, the Rockets are up
by five and AI has twenty points. You have eight
points at this time. De line them, though reported during
(15:57):
halftime that you had an injury right elbow going into
the locker room. Do you remember this, I don't remember that.
I don't remember that, but I guess it helped me
for the second half. Yeah, okay, alright, good good, You're
tough just through uh so halftime locker room. Larry Brown
is the coach at the time, one of the all
time greats. Do you recall what Larry would have said
(16:19):
or what what the message would have been. You know,
it probably would want somewhere along the lines of to
keep playing defense. You know, Houston was a high our team,
offensive team. They had a lot of firepower with Steve
Francis continue Mobile, most of Norris come off the bench.
So we knew it was gonna be tough to outscore them, obviously,
(16:41):
so we wanted to be strong on at the defensive
end and be able to guard those guys. What was
it like playing for Larry? I love I love Lar Brown.
You know, he was probably my favorite NBA coach that
uh you know, obviously he's my first NBA coach, but
then so we just developed as the national currency. That
(17:01):
was my first NBA coach, But he's the only one
I still talked to to this day. But he was
a great act and old guy. He was really good
game management and you know, making changes during the game.
But LBAs, he's a whole famine man. What about Ai?
What was he like halftime or the locker room? Was
(17:23):
he quiet? Was he chatty? What was his disposition during games?
And during it game like this one? He was he
was more reserved. Um kind of just lucked in and
in his zone. You know, whether he was having a
big scoring night. Uh, even if he had a bad
first half, he knew that at some point shots was
gonna start going in. I heard somebody sure did and
(17:49):
Alice got and you know, we're encouraged him because we
knew we went as as he did matter and then
some for the Sixers tonight, he's got twenty six of
their fifty eight points. All right, So in this one
middle of the fourth quarter, you guys are down by
(18:09):
six and part of the comeback you get to go
in with a big jumper. It was assisted by a
I wasn't Clason, Yes, Speedy Classton seven, he's got sixteen.
He and Arverson with fifty three of the Sixers three.
Speedy Claston coming up big once again and for Clashton
(18:32):
seventh of eight, He's got sixteen. Good night for Speedy.
How would you describe your connection with him on the floor, Um,
and just the continuity that you two had in the backcourt. Um.
I think it was good. We kind of I kind
of knew how to play off him, and you know,
from watching him so much as a fan, I kind
(18:53):
of knew where he liked the ball, and I kind
of knew every move that he was going to make
before he he made it, which is why it was
actually easy, not easy, because it's never easy defending, but
when I got traded, it was kind of easier for
me to guard him because I kind of knew his
moves and knew what he was trying to, what spots
he was trying to get to. But that's why it
(19:13):
was easy for me to play off of him, because
I I knew it he wanted to do. Coming up,
we head down the stretch in Philly and Allen Iverson
puts on a show. He's a Man's happened? Francis keeping
(19:35):
watching off well with forty three marching of the nine
looking for one more back in this one. Um, and
we mentioned this earlier. You had the responsibility garden, Steve Francis,
(19:58):
it looked like and you shut them down for the
most part in this one, but it looked like about
two minutes left in the game, you guys got a
little bit of an altercation. Remember that. I remember what happened.
We got with guys aren't letting you do what you
want to do. They tend to get mad, and that's
what happened. And there's Frances stirring divers shot and it's
(20:23):
too quickly separated. Speedy in my own cost the more
mild manner players I've ever met. Like you said, I
was locking them up. I was playing good defense, like
I'm supposed to do stop him, man, And he didn't
like that. Right here, Speedy just face guarding. Francis locked
(20:46):
them up pretty good. Look like France is taking obviously exception,
Like dude, I'm I'm supposed to try to stop you,
that's the objective. You're not You're not supposed to scoll
on me. And you know, the guys that that left,
they don't think that they could get stopped. So when
somebody's playing real defense on them, they think they're fouling them.
They trying and played dirt like no I'm just playing defense.
(21:07):
I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm playing defense like
I'm supposed to do. And that's kind of all that happened.
Did you enjoy guarding him? I love garden him. It's
funny because people talk about how nice he was, and
I'm like, he was all right in my mind, like
he was all right, Like he wasn't anything special, like
he wasn't know Alan Ibinson, know Steve Nash, Like, um, yeah,
(21:32):
I didn't think he was that level personally because you
were able to lock him down. It's probably It's probably
why the final stretch of regulation in this one, h
Ai has fourteen to the final sixteen points I got
away from Christinas, He's got seven for the game, and
(21:57):
the Sixers are down one hut. Swing got a small
lineup of Larry Brown's work in the profession. I got
to steal on very nonchalant at the top of the basketball.
(22:17):
We start for the six Ers of one in the
middle of a twelve to run. What was he like
during crunch time a games, or when it was go
time to try and close things out. Give me the
ball and let me do what I need to do.
He he didn't care if he missed or not, Like
(22:38):
he wanted the ball and crunch times and we were
gonna ride a dive with him, and we knew that.
And you know, most time he can't do for us.
I don't remember too many times where he didn't make
big shots, but that that year specifically, it was big
shot after big shot, and it was it was really unejoyable.
(23:00):
It's kind of just to see him go through that.
He forced over time in this one with two clutch
free throws. How good was he at drawn contact um
and how much did he frustrate guys, and how he
(23:20):
was able, especially at his size, to play so physically.
You know, he was able to draw fouls because he
was playing against big guys, so he just he knew
that he would use his size to his advantage. Like
so somebody trying to get over aggressive with him, you know,
he'll bump off from him and they'll look like a
foul because they're way bigger, and he would get those claws.
(23:42):
And that's something that I kind of learned from him
by Washington, like this, Okay, okay, use your size to
your van. It's like, don't they will be physical with you,
but you gotta play into that and act like their
their families partim into more to sixteen and six all
(24:03):
here in the overtime period was fifty three points away
from time. Alright, so we're really making you dig back
in the memory bank. Uh alan isis one in overtime
big three pointers for drag high two six pis he
(24:27):
coos those sixers up five four, had a couple more
file shots. Fifty eight for Armerson and let me add
parenthetically go with no less emphasis, a perfect fourteen of
fourteen from the line his team up six in the overtime,
(24:50):
and then of course got to fifty eight to set
his new career high. At the time, do you remember
what the atmosphere was like in the building, um, and
what the crowd was like at that point? It was electric.
I mean every game though it was electric for us
like that year. I mean the whole the whole city
was behind us like that. Obviously, everybody know that Philly,
(25:12):
Philadelphia is a really big sports team, and then when
you have a winning product, they really show up. I
remember just everywhere you went around the city was it
was six and f six is that we were to
talk to the town. So every game was jam packed
you know, it was hard to get a ticket and
the building was just electrified. Was the curly real thing
(25:34):
in the closing seconds for this game to remember three
who a career highly one of boty team from the
barm in perfect fourteen or fourteen from the line, eight
points in a roun twelve one oh six overtime win
(25:59):
for his sixe were up on tenth straight. But there
last second two thousand two and here's the line on
the man Alan last week, you made a fleet everyone
to just step it up a notch. Is this your
way of answering your own call? Yeah? I just wanted
to come in. You know, I just playing as hard
(26:19):
as I could. You know, we had a great game
against San Antonio, and I wanted everything to just carry you,
you know, being everything's going on in all of these days,
every dad, you want to come in and you know,
just let everybody know that I'm focused on basketball and
just winning. Everything's cool. I know you have an appreciation
for basketball around the league. Last night, Kobe Bryant scored
fifty six. Did you know that Does it inspire you
(26:40):
in any way? Yeah? I saw it last night, But
you know that's that's not any of my goals. You know,
I've wanted scoring titles and and things like that and
score for every points before, but I haven't won the championship.
That's the only thing that's on my mind right now.
All right, what was it? Still an impressive fifty eight?
So thanks for one. Do you remember what the locker
room was like for this game? It was buzzing. We
(27:02):
had a good team, We had a good MIxS Um,
everybody got along and no one was jealous of each other. Um,
no one was jealous that I was getting all the
most of the credit. We was just loving the fact
that we were winning and we were having a remarkable season.
When you think about AI, how would you put in
context his impact on the NBA and on the game
(27:25):
of basketball. He changed it. He changed it. You know,
there weren't really many smaller guards doing what he was
doing at the time. There was a couple of people
throughout the NBA game that kind of just that changed
the game. Like we're seeing Stephen Curry, he changed the game.
Thing when Michael in the league, he changed the game.
(27:45):
I think Alan Abvison as another person that was a
game changing Lebron also, So there's only a couple of
only a couple of guys that kind of changed the
landscape of the NBA when they were in that problem.
I think I was one of them. You were talking
about the size and the size of AI and the game, um,
and it's it's changed so much. The NBA game now
(28:06):
has gone a lot smaller. I mean, you played in
a time where big men really dominated and that's been
altered some how. Do you think Tracey McGrady has talked
about how many points he would score if he played
it in an era like this? When you think about
Allen Iverson playing now, what what type of numbers do
you think he'd be putting up? Man, that little dude
(28:29):
might be nowadays? Um, with different rules and the hand
checking rules. It's amazing, speedy. Thank you so much for
your time, for the memories and for everything. We certainly
appreciate it and enjoy reflecting back on all of this. Okay,
thank you, guys. NBA Flashback is a production of I
(28:51):
Heart Radio and the NBA. For more podcasts from I
Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,
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