Iverson to miss third straight game

Mar 3, 2009 - 4:09 PM AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- For the third straight game, the Detroit Pistons will be without All-Star guard Allen Iverson when they host the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

The Pistons hope to know more about Iverson's status after he gets his sore back examined Wednesday at Georgetown, where he starred in college.

The 13-year veteran suffered the injury in last Tuesday's 103-91 loss at Miami, then missed the final 36 minutes of Wednesday's 90-87 defeat at Miami.

Iverson had an MRI on Friday and flew back to Detroit the same day for further tests. He was not with the Pistons for Sunday's 105-95 victory in Boston.

The Pistons have won their last two games without Iverson, snapping an eight-game slide with Friday's 93-85 in Orlando.

Detroit coach Michael Curry has said that Iverson will be used off the bench when he returns to the lineup.

The Pistons' starting backcourt tandem of Richard Hamilton and Rodney Stuckey has been effective in the last two games.