Iverson has different answer for dunk winner
Star says contest purposely extended, which cost teammate Iguodala
 Pat Sullivan / AP Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala came in second to New York's Nate Robinson in Friday's NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Not everyone agrees with the decision. |
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HOUSTON - Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Allen Iverson is upset.
He thinks his 76ers teammate Andre Iguodala should have won Saturday’s dunk contest.
The 6-foot-6 Iguodala lost to 5-9 Nate Robinson by one point in a dunk-off. Robinson didn’t complete his last dunk off until the 14th try.
Iverson contends that the judges purposely forced the contest in to a tiebreaker to extend the fun for the fans.
“It’s still not sitting right with me,” he said Sunday. “Just because he’s a young guy and that’s something that he wanted for himself, for his family, for his people in Philadelphia and for it not to happen it was bad.
“And the way it happened, I think he deserved to win.”
Others were upset that Robinson was allowed so many chances to complete his dunk.
But Kenny Smith, one of the judges of the event, said he only cared about dunks that were completed. He discounted attempts, so didn’t penalize Robinson for needing so many tries before getting his title-winning dunk down.
“The final dunk, Nate Robinson’s dunk was better,” he said.
Commissioner David Stern said the league always looks at ways to improve All-Star Saturday night, but thinks “the right rule is not to penalize them.”
Former champion Vince Carter wasn’t interested in offering his opinion.
“I leave that alone, it’s not my business,” he said. “I don’t want to hear from the NBA.”
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“I don’t think he’s even going to want to do it again,” Iverson said.
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