Defense Is Key to 76ers’ Victory

The Philadelphia 76ers did it with defense in Game 3, even though their best defender, Eric Snow, was out because of a bad ankle.

Aaron McKie shut down Charlotte’s Eddie Jones in the second half, Theo Ratliff blocked shots all game and George Lynch and Toni Kukoc held Anthony Mason without a field goal.

It was a team effort on a night when the 76ers needed a lift from Allen Iverson’s sidekicks. They provided it in holding the Hornets to one field goal over the first 11 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter in an 81-76 victory Friday night.

“I think our defense was tremendous. Everybody was great,” Philadelphia Coach Larry Brown said. “We had no chance to win without our defense. Eric Snow is our most important player in my mind. What he does on both ends of the court is incredible.”

The 76ers took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series, with Game 4 set for Monday night at Philadelphia.

And if the 76ers are able to close out the series in Game 4, they can thank the four or five role players who stepped up in Game 3.

“You know you’re going to get defense from those guys, we knew that coming in,” Jones said. “It’s a matter of whether we’re going to let them push us around. They did it all.”

Iverson scored 24 points, McKie and Kukoc added 12 each and Ratliff had 10 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks.

Jones had 18 points for Charlotte, but none when the Hornets needed him.

Guarded by McKie, his former college teammate at Temple, Jones missed his first seven shots of the second half before finally making one with 1.5 seconds left. By then it was too late for Charlotte, which missed 12 of its first 13 shots in the fourth quarter.

“I was telling people Aaron was going to have a good game. People overlook him, but he’s a great basketball player,” Jones said. “I played four years with him, so I know how good he is. You think he’s not going to do anything and he erupts.”

Elden Campbell broke Charlotte’s field goal drought with a bank shot with 16 seconds left that cut the 76ers’ lead to 76-74. The Hornets immediately fouled McKie, who made two free throws.

Tyrone Hill then rebounded a missed three-point shot by Jones, and he and Kevin Ollie made three of four free throws to secure the victory.

Snow missed his first game of the season because of a chip fracture in his right ankle.

Charlotte led for all but 36 seconds of the third quarter, and it was tied, 57-57, entering the fourth. McKie made a driving layup two minutes into the fourth quarter, giving the 76ers their first lead since 24-22.