Iverson too hot for Toronto

Iverson is this season's leading scorer in the NBA

Philadelphia 76ers 97-92 Toronto Raptors
(Best-of-seven play-off series tied 1-1)

San Antonio Spurs 104-90 Dallas Mavericks
(San Antonio lead best-of-seven play-off series 3-0)

Allen Iverson scored a team play-off record 54 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 97-92 win over the Toronto Raptors.

The win levels their Eastern Conference semi-final series at 1-1.

The majestic Iverson grabbed 19 straight points for his team in the fourth quarter as he rebounded from a poor 11-of-34 performance in game one with perhaps the best game of his career.

He made 21-of-39 shots - mostly from the perimeter - and was perfect from the free throw line with nine attempts.

Raptors guards Alvin Williams and Chris Childs just could not hold him.

Michael Jordan

Iverson's points haul broke the previous team play-off record of 50 scored by Billy Cunningham against Milwaukee on April 1, 1970.

It was also the highest play-off tally since Michael Jordan scored 55 for Chicago in 1997.

Iverson scored 20 points in the second quarter as Philadelphia erased a 14-point deficit.

But it was the fourth quarter when he took over the game in a style reminiscent of Jordan.

With 8:52 remaining, Iverson drilled a three-pointer for an 80-75 lead. That began a stretch of 19 straight Philadelphia points by the NBA's leading scorer.

Vince Carter scored 28 points for the Raptors who tied the game up twice in the fourth quarter, but they could never take the lead because they could never stop Iverson.

Games three and four are on Friday and Sunday in Toronto.

The San Antonio Spurs moved to within one win of the Western Conference finals with a 104-90 victory over the demoralised Dallas Mavericks.

On the back of double-doubles and smothering defense from "Twin Towers" David Robinson and Tim Duncan, the Spurs dismantled the Mavericks to go 3-0 up in the best-of-seven series.

Robinson had 19 points and 14 rebounds and Duncan added 18 and 14.