NBA Greatest Matchup: Young Allen Iverson vs. Young Kobe and Shaq (1998) *Very RARE Game

Allen Iverson scored 10 points in a decisive fourth-quarter run and Jim Jackson hit six free throws in the final 36 seconds as the Philadelphia 76ers completed their first season-series sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in 15 years with a 113-107 victory.

Iverson matched the 31 points he had in Philadelphia's 105-98 victory over the Lakers on November 28th and added 11 assists. After he gave the 76ers a 98-97 lead with 3:02 left on a fast-break layup, Shaquille O'Neal put Los Angeles ahead, 101-100. But Iverson followed with five straight free throws before Jackson sank six in a row from the line to ensure Philadelphia's first sweep of the Lakers since the 1982-83 season.

"We played a solid game but the most important thing is that we kept our poise in the end," Iverson said. "Even though we got down, everybody executed and we felt we still had a legitimate shot at winning the game."

Jackson and Theo Ratliff had season highs with 28 and 20 points, respectively. Ratliff was also a defensive force inside, collecting eight of the 76ers nine blocks.

"It's one of the best wins I've been around," said Philadelphia coach Larry Brown. "We didn't have Timmy (Thomas) and we got into so much foul trouble with Jimmy Jackson and Mark Davis it was a miracle. Allen was phenomenal, Jimmy played great, everybody played great."

Thomas was not at the arena due to a death in the family.

O'Neal, who missed the earlier meeting between the teams, had 26 points off the bench. Reserve Kobe Bryant added 20 and Rick Fox had 16. Fox fed O'Neal for an alley-oop that gave the Lakers their last lead with 1:48 to go.

Ratliff and Jackson scored eight points apiece as the Sixers grabbed a 33-25 lead after one period. Jackson hit 11-of-11 from the line and added eight assists and three steals for Philadelphia, which made 46 percent (38-of-83) from the field and 35-of-39 (90 percent) from the foul line while improving to 3-3 on its seven-game road trip.

The 76ers started the second period with a 14-8 run to build a 46-33 cushion. The Lakers answered with a 9-3 burst and pulled within 57-52 at the break. Robert Horry scored nine of his 11 points in the first half for Los Angeles, who only outrebounded the Sixers by three (49-46) despite O'Neal's 16 boards.

"You can tell from the tip-off, guards taking ill-advised jumpers," observed O'Neal. "When you are 2-of-16 (actually 3-of-17) from three-point range that's means your shot ain't falling. It means you have to bring people down and get to the hole. I don't think that we came in prepared."

Los Angeles made a push late in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 78-75 in the final minute, but Philadelphia mustered a 6-2 run to close the period ahead, 84-77.

Fox led the Lakers back in the fourth quarter, scoring eight points in a 12-2 run that gave Los Angeles a 89-86 lead after his follow-shot and two free throws. The Lakers built their advantage to 97-90 on three dunks by O'Neal and a bucket by Elden Campbell with 4:35 left.

But Iverson, who up to that point was defended ably by Nick Van Exel, began to break down the defense. With 4:01 left, he drained a three-pointer to ignite the Sixers. Jackson followed with a three-point play to slice the margin to 97-96 with 3:22 to go.

"It's a big victory," Jackson said. "What made it so sweet was that we played well. They came back and made a run but we were able to get the lead back and win the game."

Philadelphia regained the lead 20 seconds later on Iverson's lay-in. The Lakers missed four straight free throws before O'Neal countered put them ahead with a basket. Iverson then took control, driving past Van Exel on several occasions and drawing fouls to carry the 76ers. His two free throws with 94 seconds to go put Phildelphia ahead for good, 101-100, and started a 10-2 run that iced the victory.

"Containing Iverson was a problem," Van Exel admitted. "We just had to stay down on him. He's got a lot of 'quicks.' You have to try to contain him and stay in front of him. Some nights he has them and some nights he struggles. And tonight he had them."

Eddie Jones and Bryant each missed two shots from the line with the Lakers trailing by a point. Los Angeles hit a subpar 20-of-37 from the foul line.

"I take responsibility for this loss because I missed those two free throws," said Bryant. "We could have had the lead."