Iguodala, 76ers rally to beat Bobcats, 103-96

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - January 26, 2008 Andre Miller added 23 points and Samuel Dalembert grabbed 14 rebounds in a rare good performance for the 76ers, who had lost 11 of 13 games this month.

The Sixers, who lost to New York on Friday, rallied from an 11-point first-half deficit by controlling the boards. Philadelphia had 17 offensive rebounds, while Iguodala hit 13 of 21 shots, finishing one point shy of his career high.

Miller continually beat the Bobcats off the dribble and had nine assists.

Jason Richardson scored 35 points for the Bobcats, including a 3-pointer with 2:15 left that got Charlotte within 98-93. The Bobcats had chances to get closer, but Gerald Wallace missed two shots and then barely hit iron on a 3-point attempt.

Iguodala then put it away with a breakaway, one-handed windmill dunk with 40.4 seconds left.

Wallace added 20 points, but shot 4-for-17 and was held without a field goal in the second half when the Sixers stepped up defensively. Emeka Okafor had 17 points and 16 rebounds in a dismal performance for Charlotte, which now heads on a five-game West Coast road trip.

The Sixers, who had scored fewer than 90 points in half of their last 10 games, trailed by eight at halftime before dominating the third quarter.

Getting numerous second chances from offensive rebounds, Philadelphia took its first lead of the game midway through the period, then closed the quarter on a 13-0 run to take an 80-71 lead on Iguodala's runner with less than a second left.

Charlotte committed two turnovers and Richardson shot an air ball on its final three possessions of the quarter, where they were outscored 33-16.

Iguodala's three-point play gave Philadelphia an 85-73 lead with 9:19 left, before Charlotte's late rally fell short.

Playing without guard Raymond Felton, who turned his left ankle a night earlier in a win over Chicago, the Bobcats couldn't sustain their quick start.

Charlotte put on a dunking display early, highlighted by Richardson's 360-degree jam that put the Bobcats ahead 24-13.

Taking it to the basket with ease, the Bobcats had eight dunks in the first 12 minutes before the 76ers started to mix zone and man-to-man defenses and slowly got back in it.

After Philadelphia got within two, little-used Derek Anderson, playing as the backup point guard with Felton out, hit a 3-pointer and a fadeaway jumper. Wallace then blew past Iguodala again and his layup put Charlotte ahead 55-47 at halftime.

But Wallace did little in the second half and the Bobcats shot 40 percent.

Notes: Coach Sam Vincent was targeting Wednesday for Felton's return. Felton made it clear he hoped to play Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers. ... Sixers rookie Thaddeus Young had six points and four rebounds in his first career start, replacing Reggie Evans. ... Sixers G Gordan Giricek did not play in his first trip to Charlotte since he was banished to the locker room by Utah coach Jerry Sloan on Dec. 19. Giricek never played for the Jazz again, and was traded to Philadelphia 10 days later. ... Wallace announced he was forming a charitable foundation. The first project will be to renovate a Charlotte park.

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