Allen Iverson wasn't going to let Vince Carter show him up.
Iverson, playing with an injured big toe, scored 44 points, including 30 in the final 19 minutes, as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Toronto Raptors 106-93 Wednesday night in a preview of a potential first-round series in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
"When you have that type of quality player come in, you want to step it up," Iverson said. "When you add to that he's coming into my house, I want to play good in front of my fans. It's my house."
Carter overcame a tough first half to score 26 points. He scored almost all of his points on jumpers and was held without a dunk for the second straight game.
"Not many people can stop him," Carter said about Iverson. "We were just added to that list."
Tyrone Hill added 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers and Eric Snow had 11 points and 14 assists. Tracy McGrady added 20 for Toronto, which lost its second straight game after winning 11 of 12.
It was the fourth straight victory for the 76ers, who pulled into a tie with Toronto for the fourth spot in the conference at 39-28.
Iverson, who will have X-rays on his injured left toe Thursday, scored 15 of his points in the third quarter as the Sixers pulled away. Iverson started 2-of-8 and finished 17-of-29, including 9-of-9 from the foul line. He was 8-of-10 in the fourth quarter for 16 points.
"He's fun to watch," said Aaron McKie, who had 11 points. "Sometimes you get caught up in what he's doing. I don't think there's anybody on the planet who could have stopped him."
The Raptors hit their first eight shots of the third quarter and got within 55-54 on a jumper by McGrady. But the Sixers went on a 16-3 run, fueled by nine points from Iverson, to take their biggest lead to that point, 71-57, with 2:25 left in the third.
Iverson put the Sixers ahead 62-54 by completing a three-point play after a driving runner over McGrady with 4:25 left in the third. He capped the run with another driving layup.
"I hit a couple baskets in a row and I was shocked they didn't run at me," Iverson said.
Toronto got within 80-74 on a jumper by Carter early in the fourth quarter before the Sixers scored nine straight. The Raptors never got closer than 11 the rest of the game.
"Allen made some shots you don't see very often and Aaron did a terrific job on Vince," Sixers coach Larry Brown said. "Anytime we get a win, it gets us closer to the playoffs."
Charles Oakley left the game after picking up his fifth foul with 5:37 remaining in the third. He did not return. Toronto trailed 57-54 at the time.
"We've got to find a way to keep up our energy when we play these guys," Toronto coach Butch Carter said.
The Raptors have lost five straight to Philadelphia, including three this season.
Carter, who also started 2-of-8, finished 10-of-24. He hit his first shot of the game and missed his next six before hitting a 3-pointer at the end of the first quarter to give Toronto a 21-18 lead. Carter was 2-of-11 at halftime then nailed three straight jumpers in the third quarter.
Theo Ratliff blocked Carter's lone dunk attempt at the end of the first half.
Notes: George Lynch left in the first quarter with a strained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. He did not return. Lynch fell to the floor, clutching his knee after colliding with Hill. The entire Sixers bench, including most of the coaches, gathered around Lynch while trainers attended to him. . . Iverson's 44 points were the most ever against Toronto. . . Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson attended the game and received a standing ovation upon his introduction. . . Philadelphia is 12-5 since acquiring Toni Kukoc on Feb. 16. . . The Sixers honored broadcasting legend Bill Campbell during a halftime ceremony. Campbell broadcast more than 1,700 Philadelphia Warriors and Sixers games, including Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game on March 2, 1962.
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