Lakers Can’t Contain Iverson

Allen Iverson was the hammer, and the Lakers splintered like old wood on Friday.

They threw their own prodigy at him and double-teams and taller players and jump-switches and just about everything legal (and some things that probably were not), and all of that Laker defensive propulsion produced a particularly raw and repetitive beat.

Iverson, off a pick, from 22 feet.

Iverson, off two picks, driving for a layup.

Iverson driving for a twisting scoop shot.

Iverson driving them all crazy, driving the 76ers to victory, driving, driving, driving . . .

How did the 76ers take control of this game in a flourishing third quarter?

“Gave the ball to Iverson,” Laker Coach Kurt Rambis said.

Forty-one points and 10 assists of pick-and-rolling Iverson disintegrated the Laker defense, and pieces of it were still scattered on the First Union Center floor after Philadelphia’s 105-90 victory, the Lakers’ largest margin of defeat this season.

“He was just drilling everything,” Rambis said of Iverson’s 17-for-36 shooting against Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Derek Harper and just about everybody else wearing purple and gold. “We made some mistakes at certain times.

“But for the most part, we did what we wanted to do. We forced him to take a lot of shots, unfortunately for us, he made a lot of them.”

Two-thirds of the way through this six-game trip, this was the Lakers’ second straight defeat and third loss in four games.

Bryant, for the second straight game, blamed himself for not crashing through the picks swiftly enough to challenge the shots of smaller players, but added that he would not be taken advantage of for much longer.

Said the Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal, a rival to Iverson for the MVP award this season: “Any shooter who shoots the ball 36 times every night should be the leading scorer in the league and should be an MVP candidate. I mean, I wish I shot the ball 36 times.”

O’Neal, limited by foul trouble to 30 minutes and a season-low four rebounds, said he too accepted responsibility for his performance.

“I never make excuses when I play bad,” O’Neal said. “I’ll just have to pick it up the next game. I think it was more me rather than what they did.”

And there is another repetitive story line developing, one that produced winces and groans when it was brought up in the Laker locker room, but very few arguments.

Without Dennis Rodman on Friday, the Lakers were lost trying to defend the pick-and-roll and were clobbered on the boards, 46-34, and lost.

Without Rodman on this trip, the Lakers have given up 100 points in four straight games, after giving up 100 or more only twice during their 10-game winning streak.

Without Rodman, the Lakers are 8-9.

“He’ll be back,” O’Neal said, “and we’ll get back on track. When he comes back, things will be OK.”

They were 9-0 with him before his departure last Saturday to deal with personal issues, although there are indications Rodman will finally rejoin them either for Sunday’s game in Orlando or Monday’s game in Dallas.

“I think they need Rodman,” Iverson said. “I see some chaos in their team. I won’t elaborate.”

Really, his flowing jump shot and ability to beat his defender and his teammates’ ability to throw a wrench in the Laker offense was all the elaboration necessary.

The tense Laker offensive rhythm, and shaking heads, and the 20 turnovers were pretty good indicators, too.

O’Neal acknowledged that, as is not unique during a Laker loss, there was some lively discussion going on between Lakers on the floor.

“I don’t think it’s turmoil,” O’Neal said. “I just think certain guys aren’t playing too smart. Certain guys are trying to do too much.”

The Laker emotions even spilled over to the postgame walk off the court, when Rambis engaged in a bit of pique with a court-level fan, and was quickly restrained before he maneuvered his way behind the bench.

“I’m a competitive person,” said Rambis, who would comment no further on the flare-up. “I don’t like to lose.”

Toronto 93, Clippers 82: The Clippers lost their fifth in a row as the Toronto Raptors tied a franchise record with their fourth straight victory. Page 5