Allen Iverson scored 48 points as the 76ers stole the first NBA finals game from the Lakers 107-101 Wednesday night. Iverson’s heroic performance and nifty dribbling were just enough to outduel the two-headed monsters of the Lakers, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. This historic performance was best signified when Iverson hit a step-back jumper and then ensued to directly step over Los Angeles Laker’s defender, Ty Lue.

 

From the step over moment and beyond, the 76ers appeared as if though they were the favorite, albeit they were not. Laker’s star, Kobe Bryant had his struggles on both ends of the floor last night, only scoring 15 points and allowing Allen Iverson to score most of his points. Still, this wasn’t an easy task for the 76ers, as the game went down to the wire and bled over into overtime.

 

Going into the Finals, the LA Lakers had a perfect 11-0 playoff record and were looking to continue this streak over the Philadelphia 76ers. Were the Lakers overconfident after having a perfect record? This is a question many will ponder in the coming days. Allen Iverson may have had confidence, but it certainly didn’t hinder his performance. The 76ers star point guard, Allen Iverson, had other plans as he put on a scoring show to give the 76ers a one-game lead in this year’s NBA Finals. Offense was not the only key factor in this game as the 76ers center, Dikembe Mutumbo, had five blocks and 16 total rebounds. This gave the 76ers the much-needed defense and second possessions to pair with Iverson’s high scoring.

 

Now, with the series lead 1-0 in favor of the 76ers, there is a chance game two will be the last played in Los Angles for the series. The exasperation and shock of this performance was very visible from the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal as they walked off the floor. Many fans look to see how the Lakers will bounce back after their first playoff loss this season, especially after the controversial “step over” that is being talked about on almost every sports radio show.