• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Iguodala, 76ers top Trail Blazers with controversial ending

Dec 30, 2006 - 9:39 AM PORTLAND, Oregon (Ticker) -- Andre Iguodala and the Philadelphia 76ers got some help from the officials in a rare win.

Iguodala scored a career-high 32 points and Andre Miller added 25 and 10 assists as the 76ers posted a 98-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers for just their fourth win in 22 games.

Kyle Korver scored 19 points for Philadelphia, which shot 49 percent (36-of-74) from the field in holding on for the victory despite struggling from the free-throw line. The Sixers were 23-of-35 on foul shots and missed six in the final three minutes.

"We finally got some breaks in a game and we just gutted it out," Iguodala said. "It's going to be rare that you miss that many free throws down the stretch, and I missed a wide-open dunk, and we were still able to pull it out. So we got some breaks."

Trailing, 98-95, with 14 seconds left, the Trail Blazers had a chance to tie on the game's final possession. After a strong drive, rookie Brandon Roy pump-faked to get Miller into the air.

Miller came down hard on Roy, who missed a bank shot, but no foul was called as time expired.

"I definitely felt like he fouled me, and when we were walking down the court, (Miller) said that they missed one on that, but I first want to say that we blew that game," Roy said. "We played terrible basketball for three quarters, including myself. We just couldn't get anything going, and that's why you lose games like that. We didn't deserve to win it. We are a team that needs wins whenever we can get them, and we let that one get away."

Miller did not deny he committed an infraction.

"Oh, it was a foul," he said. "When I jumped up in the air, I just knew the whistle was going to blow. So I was a little surprised."

Iguodala was brilliant, shooting 11-of-21 from the floor and 10-of-13 from the line. Miller shot 9-of-17 and 7-of-13.

"My shot felt good in warmups," Iguodala said. "Coach told me to attack, so I just tried to make some things happen. Once my jumper started going, I knew I could do just about anything. I tried to step up and help my team out."

However, Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks thought his bench sparked the victory.

"Andre played a great game, but I thought it was our attention to detail that won us this game," Cheeks said. "Kyle Korver coming off the bench and Kevin Ollie. Alan Henderson and Steven Hunter on Zach Randolph were terrific."

Roy had 15 points for Portland, which shot 49 percent (36-of-74) in absorbing its third loss in four contests.