Sixers shock Lakers in LA

Iverson goes for a lay-up between Fisher (l) and Bryant

NBA Finals Game One:
LA Lakers 101-107 Philadelphia 76ers (OT)

Allen Iverson scored 48 points, seven in overtime, as Philadelphia surprised the Los Angeles Lakers with a gritty win in the first game of the NBA Finals.

After surviving two tough seven-game play-off series, the 76ers had just two days' rest before facing the defending champions in LA.

They ended the Lakers' 19-game winning streak which included 11 in the post-season.

LA came in after nine days off and the only question seemed to be, would the Lakers become the first team to sweep the post-season?

"I'm glad nobody bet their life on it because they would definitely be dead right now," said Iverson, who agreed that LA was heavily favoured over the Sixers.

Regulation deadlock

"Big time underdogs," he said. "You've got so many experts. But the only guys that really know are out on the court. We've got heart."

Shaquille O'Neal scored 44 points but was only 10-for-22 from the free-throw line for LA, which shot just 15-for-27 (56%) from the stripe.

Philadelphia missed just two free throws, going 23-for-25 (92%), but those two could have cost the game.

Mutombo gets the better of O'Neal

Dikembe Mutombo, who had a game-high 16 rebounds, missed two foul shots with the score tied at 94-94 with 34 seconds to go.

But neither team could score the rest of the way in regulation.

The 76ers trailed by as many as 13 points in the first quarter and led by as many as 15 in the third as both teams traded comebacks and finished the regulation four quarters tied at 94-94.

In the overtime period, the Lakers scored the first five points before reserve Raja Bell made a difficult scoop shot in the lane.

Iverson made two foul shots, a three-pointer for the lead and a jumper from the right baseline, to build a 103-99 margin.

He had scored only three points in the fourth quarter but finished 18-for-41 and 9-for-9 from the foul line.