Allen Iverson Returns Tonight

It’s a big week for Philadelphia basketball with three local teams in the NCAA Tournament, but it might be tonight’s contest at the Wachovia Center that’s the marquee event of this week of March: Allen Iverson returns to Philadelphia.

The Answer hasn’t been back in town since being traded last December; while his Denver Nuggets are 40-27, they are currently 9th in the Western Conference. John Hollinger of ESPN only gives them a 50 percent chance of making the playoffs. The 33-34 Sixers, however, have a 99 percent chance at a playoff spot, since they play the in Eastern Conference — where several teams start descendants of the late Air Bud.

The outlook for the 76ers has undergone a 180 since just before midseason. The Daily News asks who got the better of the deal, the SIxers or the Nuggets; a year ago, this would have been a laughable question, as the Sixers had just traded Allen Iverson for Andre Miller and some picks. But now that Thaddeus Young is one of the best rookies in the NBA… well, it’s something I’d have to think about before saying Denver.

Anyway, Philly.com is asking if you’re going to boo or cheer Iverson, as if you’re going to do anything but cheer him. For some reason the link on the front page goes to a forum with the top story being, “Webber experiment over?” I’d say the 76ers got the best of the Chris Webber contract buyout.