76ers 98, Knicks 86

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- For three quarters, Allen Iverson was his old self -- taking bad shots early in the shot clock.

Once he started driving to the basket, Iverson couldn't miss.

Iverson scored 35 points despite another poor shooting performance and the Philadelphia 76ers overcame a 17-point deficit to beat the New York Knicks 98-86 on Friday night.

``I was struggling so much and have been struggling so much that I felt I had to break out some time,'' said Iverson, who scored six of his final 15 points on layups and three more on free throws after getting fouled on driving attempts.

``I stayed confident and tried to get closer and closer to the basket instead of taking long shots. What's frustrating is when you think that the shots are going in and they don't.''

Aaron McKie had 22 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, and Keith Van Horn added 17 points and 12 rebounds to help the Sixers improve to 2-1.

Kurt Thomas had 25 points, and Allan Houston added 23 for the Knicks, outscored 41-17 in the fourth quarter. New York, playing without starters Latrell Sprewell, out with a broken hand, and Antonio McDyess, sidelined for the season by a knee injury, has lost its first two games.

Iverson, who missed 17 of 23 shots in the first three quarters, hit his first six shots of the fourth and finished 12-of-30. The three-time NBA scoring champion had 15 points in the fourth quarter.

``I told him at halftime, 'We're taking a lot of shots that you can get at any time on the clock, and you don't need a coach to draw anything up,''' Sixers coach Larry Brown said.

Iverson scored on a driving layup and made a free throw to complete a three-point play, giving the Sixers their first lead since the first half, 76-75, with 5:51 left. He made it 82-79 with another layup 2 minutes later.

Van Horn hit his second 3-pointer of the quarter to extend the lead to 87- 83, Iverson made two free throws and Brian Skinner added a free throw for a 90-83 lead with 1:23 remaining. The Knicks went almost three minutes without scoring.

Iverson, who shot 16-for-50 in the first two games, is 28-for-80 overall (35 percent), including 0-for-13 from 3-point range.

Down by 12 after three quarters, the Sixers went on a 9-0 run to close to 69-66.

Van Horn's 3-pointer from the top of the circle and Iverson's driving layup tied it at 71 with 7:37 left.

New York scored just 12 points in the fourth quarter of its season- opening loss at Detroit on Wednesday night.

``On the road, you've got to make shots and take care of the ball and we didn't,'' Knicks coach Don Chaney said.

The Sixers played without starting forward Derrick Coleman, backup center Samuel Dalembert and key reserve Monty Williams -- all out with knee injuries.

Swingman Greg Buckner, who sprained ligaments in his right knee the first week of training camp, played his first game for Philadelphia and had four points and five fouls in 23 minutes.

The Knicks scored seven straight points to start the third quarter, and 23 of 30 to take a 62-45 lead. Thomas had 12 points during the run, including eight of the first 10.

``You have a lead and you just do the things not to hold it,'' Houston said. ``You have to learn.''

Notes

Brown moved ahead of Cotton Fitzsimmons into eighth place on the NBA's coaching victories list with his 833rd. ... Rookie guard Frank Williams made his debut for the Knicks. He missed his only shot, hitting the top of the backboard on a long jumper. ... Forward Lee Nailon, signed by the Knicks on Wednesday, was scoreless in 5 minutes .... Sixers starting center Todd MacCulloch didn't score in 14 minutes. ... Thomas fouled out with 2:36 left.... Skinner had 10 rebounds, his third straight double-digit performance.

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