76ers Might Be Without Iverson Until January

Guard Allen Iverson could be sidelined until January because of a swollen right knee and wishes the Philadelphia 76ers would put him on the injured list.

The NBA’s leading scorer has missed two of the team’s last three games and said Tuesday he thinks he’ll miss the 76ers’ West Coast trip that starts Dec. 26 against the Clippers.

“I honestly wish they could put me on the injured list so when I come to the games, I don’t try to go out there and play. They tell me they don’t have any room,” said Iverson, averaging 28.9 points a game.

“We won’t play him until he feels healthy enough to play,” Coach Randy Ayers said.

Iverson was hurt in a game against Chicago on Dec. 4, when he slipped and hit the court hard.

*

Chicago center Eddy Curry will miss two to four weeks because of a bone bruise on his left knee. The Bulls also placed Scottie Pippen on the injured list following knee surgery last week.... San Antonio Spur Coach Gregg Popovich signed a two-year contract extension through the 2007-08 season.... The NBA fined Washington Wizard Coach Eddie Jordan $5,000 for criticizing officials after Sunday’s loss to the New York Knicks. Jordan said that calls go against the Wizards because the team is young and doesn’t have “marquee players.” “When 18,000 people and two teams can see obvious calls, how come three guys can’t see it?” Jordan said.