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It’s hard to argue that point. Even if Iverson was in the lineup, who knows if he would have been able to help contain Utah’s two sensational forwards, Andrei Kirilenko and Matt Harpring.
The two make up a duo with slightly less tradition, credibility, and star power than Karl Malone and John Stockton, but here’s a news flash: These guys know how to play a little, too.
Kirilenko, a lanky Russian with a spiky hairdo and a wingspan that’s slightly smaller than a condor’s, was deadly on both ends of the court. The 6-9 forward finished with 30 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and four blocked shots, all game-highs. His point total was a season-high while his rebound total was a career-high
"He’s special," Snow said. "He has some skills and his length -- his arms, his height and his athletic ability -- you can’t teach that."
Harpring, meanwhile, continued to do what he couldn’t do when he was a member of the Sixers: Be a focal point of the team and score points. A lot of points.
The former Georgia Tech standout poured in 27 of them and hit a lot of big shots in the second half when the Sixers were trying to crack into the lead.
The Jazz led 40-32 at halftime and maintained a slight but steady advantage through most of the second half. Sixers guard Kyle Corver drilled a 3-pointer with 9:06 remaining in the game to give the Sixers their only lead after intermission at 69-68. The lead only lasted for 26 seconds, as Utah made smart passes and played excellent team defense down the stretch to win just its second road game of the year.
"They’re movement was outstanding tonight," Sixers head coach Randy Ayers said. "They did a good job of moving our bodies around the floor and using screens. They’re a good passing ballclub, so any lapse you have defensively, they exploit it because they get the ball to the right guy at the right time."
Korver, at least, was a bright spot for the Sixers. The rookie out of Creighton, who’s struggled this season, drilled four out of five from behind the arc on his way to a career-high 14 points.
"Kyle can shoot the ball," Ayers said. "I think the speed of the game is starting to slow down for him. ... I think his confidence is starting to grow, so that could be a plus for us down the road."
Kenny Thomas and Derrick Coleman, back from a hyper-extended knee he suffered in the third quarter Friday against the Nuggets, helped pick up some of the scoring slack without Iverson.
Thomas had 16 points and nine rebounds, while Coleman went for 14 and seven.
Glenn Robinson, however, could not help them inside very much. The Big Dog -- who missed 15 straight games due to an ankle injury before playing Friday against Denver -- was kept on a pretty tight leash by Ayers, who hinted the injury may not be fully healed.
"Glenn just couldn’t push off," Ayers said. "I didn’t think he had much strength in the ankle."
Robinson scored just two points in 16 minutes.
t’s frustrating because I just got back," Robinson said. "It’s holding me down a little, but I just have to stay positive."
The Sixers, as a team, are trying to stay positive too, after back-to-back home losses.
Smack in the middle of a four-game homestead -- a homestead the Sixers really hoped would help them gain some ground in the Atlantic Division -- the Sixers now must turn their attention to the final two games, against Miami Wednesday and Cleveland Friday.
"We thought this was an opportunity to make a cushion for ourselves," Ayers said. "But it didn’t happen. We just have to get ready for Miami on Wednesday."
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NOTES: Former Sixer, Raja Bell, was relatively quiet, but drained a big 3-pointer to give the Jazz a comfortable 79-72 lead with six minutes left. The Sixers would not get within three points again. ... Utah shot 85.7 percent (6-for-7) from 3-point range, setting a Wachovia Center record for 3-point percentage (minimum of five attempts). ... The Sixers used their 12th different starting lineup this season by starting Snow, Robinson, Thomas, Coleman and Aaron McKie. ... The Jazz shot 51.7 percent from the floor, the first time this season the Sixers have allowed an opponent to shoot over 50 percent at the Wachovia Center.
