THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 3, 1996 TAG: 9611030166
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHICAGO LENGTH: 63 lines
Allen Iverson, meet Michael Jordan.
Mr. Jordan, sir, presenting Mr. Iverson.
That was the subplot Saturday night at the United Center, when Iverson's Philadelphia 76ers met His Airness's world champions in what otherwise was all-but-meaningless early-season NBA game.
The Bulls breezed to a 115-86 with Jordan scoring 27 points. Iverson had 15.
Nonetheless, Jordan was impressed with Iverson.
``He's got unbelievable talent and quickness,'' Jordan said. ``He's a little runt running around out there. A couple of times he could have gotten hurt but he's fearless.''
Before the game were was the small matter of the Bulls receiving their championships rings and hoisting their championship banner - a 20-minute, Broadway-caliber production.
And there was some anticipation over what hair color Bulls forward Dennis Rodman would unveil for the new season.
(Crunchberry pink).
But for those interested in the action on court, and in ``young gun meets old master'' story lines, there was the meeting between Hampton's Iverson - the top pick in the draft - and Jordan, the game's best player.
It's something Iverson had been anticipating for some time. Legend has it that when Iverson was a young pup playing AAU basketball, he told coach Boo Williams that ``I can take Mike.''
Williams thought Iverson meant former Booker T. Washington star Michael Evans, who was playing ahead of Iverson at the time.
No, Iverson was talking about No. 23. ``I don't remember saying that,'' Iverson said before the game. ``I was young. But if I did say it, I meant it.
``I feel that way now. Mike's just another basketball player. He's the best. But he's just another player. I definitely feel confident in my game, no matter what.''
Iverson, unfortunately, didn't get many chances to find out if he was right all those years ago. The ultra-quick guard had few close encounters of the Jordan kind.
Iverson, after all, is a point guard. Jordan is a shooting guard. They share an agent (David Falk) and a talent for making people gasp at their god-given abilities. But Saturday night, they didn't share much space on the court.
And, fact is, Iverson had enough trouble with his assigned man, Ron Harper, to worry much about Jordan. Harper, half-a-foot taller than Iverson, had 12 in the first quarter alone, most of them on Iverson's watch.
As for the lopsided loss, Iverson said, ``I've been blown out. I've blown people out. It's over now. It's not something I'll dwell on.''
Iverson opened the game by hitting a 3-pointer. With Jordan just a few feet away, he tried another one on his next trip down, but missed.
Jordan returned the favor a few moments later, knocking down a 3-pointer over Iverson, who rushed out to defend when Jerry Stackhouse got picked.
In the third quarter, Iverson blew by Harper and was fouled by Jordan, who reached in as he went to the basket. With the game all but over, both players sat out much of the fourth quarter.
Walking off the court, Iverson got a handshake from his idol. And something to strive for. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by CNB