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Allen Iverson returned to Philadelphia's lineup after a 10-game absence. Desmond Mason made sure it didn't matter.
Mason spoiled Iverson's return, scoring a season-high 24 points in the Milwaukee Bucks' 88-76 win over the 76ers on Monday night.
``Desmond's done a great job coming off the bench and bringing us a lot of energy,'' Bucks coach Terry Porter said. ``He's been very active and playing the way we need him to play.''
Toni Kukoc added 14 points for the Bucks, who have won three straight and are a season-high two games over .500. The Bucks have won seven of 10, including two straight on the road.
Mason scored 17 points in the second quarter when the Bucks built a 17-point lead, then added a 3-pointer early in the fourth for a 75-57 lead. Mason's highlight was a second-quarter dunk where he took off near the free-throw line.
``It was a situation where my teammates were giving me the ball in the right positions,'' Mason said. ``I just felt good, felt comfortable.
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There was little Iverson or the rest of the Sixers could do to stop him
Iverson was back after missing the last 10 games with a bruised right knee. The Sixers went only 3-7 without Iverson, including 1-4 on their Western road trip.
Iverson, playing without a protective pad, scored 18 points with seven turnovers in 37 minutes -- six fewer minutes than his average. Iverson said his knee wasn't a factor, though rust played a role in his slow start.
The NBA's leader in scoring, steals and minutes missed his first six shots from the floor before making a left-handed layup late in the second quarter. Iverson shot better as the game went on, going 4-for-9 in the second half after missing seven of nine in the first.
``I was kind of winded in the first quarter. I didn't have my legs like I wanted,'' he said.
Iverson said Sunday he could not push off on the knee, which affected his ability to cut and penetrate. The knee didn't appear to bother him, as he bounced up from a collision with Bucks guard T.J. Ford and a hard hit to the floor late in the third.
Iverson didn't have as much problem with the knee as he does with Philadelphia's afternoon sports talk radio show. Iverson went off on about a 10-minute rant on the negativity of the show's host and the fans that call it, saying he wants even his own fans to stop calling in to defend him.
AP - Jan 5, 9:55 pm EST
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Iverson said he has no problems with any of his teammates, coach Randy Ayers
or management, despite reports that a rift is growing as the losses pile up.
With Iverson back, the Sixers played with their regular starting lineup of guards Iverson and Eric Snow and a frontcourt of Derrick Coleman, Glenn Robinson and Kenny Thomas for only the fifth time this year.
It was still wasn't enough for the Sixers, who looking up at the surging Nets and the new-look Knicks.
``I'm concerned with the way we played tonight,'' Iverson said. ``We couldn't stop anybody. Our chemistry wasn't there at either end of the floor.''
While the Sixers are still looking for some chemistry, the Bucks seem to have found some.
The Bucks raced to a 21-9 lead, getting 14 points from former Sixers Tim Thomas and Brian Skinner. They stretched the lead 57-40 at the half after Mason scored 17 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the floor and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line in the second quarter.
``I think we played basketball the right way,'' Mason said. ``We were sharing the ball and everyone got involved.''
Kyle Korver scored 12 points and Thomas grabbed 14 rebounds for the Sixers.
Notes
Ford complained of dizziness and spent the second half lying down near the Bucks' bench. ... Sixers coach Randy Ayers recruited and signed Bucks G Michael Redd at Ohio State, but never coached him. ... Sixers G Aaron McKie (hamstring) sat out and will miss at least one more game. Snow is the only Sixer who's started every game. Eleven Sixers have missed at least one game because of injury. ... The Bucks were one game over .500 six times. ... Mason scored 22 points against Boston in November. ... The Sixers are 0-6 whenIverson scores less than 20 points.