The Anwser Returns

I dont care what anyone says about Allen or his work ethic when that man was on the court he gave us his our money's worth whether you hate or love him you gotta admitt to that.

One more night ladies and gents and future Hall of Famer Allen Iverson returns to the philly.

WHEN A reporter asked Andre Iguodala after practice yesterday about "Allen" coming to town tomorrow night, Iguodala coyly responded, "Who?"

You know who.

So does Iguodala.

So does anyone connected to the 76ers, and any basketball fan in the Delaware Valley with a pulse.

They all, including coach Maurice Cheeks, said the politically correct things about seeing old friend and teammate Allen Iverson, who comes to the Wachovia Center tomorrow night with the Denver Nuggets in his first appearance as a visitor.

But it took backup guard Lou Williams, the Sixers' off-the-bench motor, to paint a series of pictures of Iverson, the four-time scoring champion and MVP who spent the first 10 seasons-plus of his career with the Sixers before being traded in December of 2006.

* Looking forward to the challenge:

"I can't really describe the atmosphere the game is going to be [played] in, how much hype that's put around it, but we've been calm, really haven't thought about it," Williams said. "We've worked on our stuff, put in some new plays. Come [tomorrow night], we'll be prepared to play how we've been playing.

"I'm sure this is a game he's been looking forward to for a long time. It'll be an emotional game. I'm sure he'll probably downplay it, but . . . I'm sure he's going to come in here ready to play, and I think we - our young core of guys - realize what's at stake here. We've won nine of our past 10 at home, and we don't expect that to change because [Iverson] is coming to town."

The Sixers, at 33-34, have won 15 of their last 19 overall and are holding the No. 7 playoff seed in the NBA's Eastern Conference, four games ahead of No. 8 Atlanta. The Nuggets, despite a 40-26 record in the more powerful Western Conference, are 1 1/2 games behind No. 8 Golden State.

* Remembering the camaraderie:

Williams described a side of Iverson neither the public nor most members of the media ever saw.

" Shavlik Randolph sits at the front of the bus 'cause [during] our rookie year Allen was on him so tough for sitting at the back of the bus," Williams said, laughing.

"He changed the way that we talk, all the little words that he creates and just the way that he talks. He's changed a lot of things. He left his mark on us."

* Water, water everywhere . . . :

There was the day during training camp two summers ago in Barcelona, Spain, when Williams, in the midst of an interview, found himself drenched with a bucket of water by Iverson.

"It sparked a big water fight at the hotel," said Williams, almost wistfully.

Williams recalls going up several floors and watching Iverson step into a glass elevator.

"I filled up these big trash bags," he said. "The guards obviously didn't speak English, and I was telling them, 'Shhh, don't say anything.' I wait for [Iverson] to get off the elevator, and I got him and C-Webb [ Chris Webber], and then it was pandemonium after that. Everybody was trying to get each other with these big trash bags of water."

* The more serious side:

"I absolutely love the guy," Williams said. "He welcomed me with open arms from Day 1, has been a great teammate. Unfortunately, he had to move on with his career, we had to move on. But when he was here, we had a great time, had some good laughs. He always kept it lighthearted here.

"He showed me how to be tough. I've said that every time somebody asked me . . . He just taught me how to play through injuries, play through fatigue and, no matter what, just come out here every day and give it your all on the basketball court 'cause circumstances can be worse.

"[He would say] we play basketball for a living, and that's a great job to have. It's a dream job.' He always stressed that to me."

* Learning on the job:

Playing against Iverson in practice, Williams said was "hard, trying to keep him in front of you."

"I think that's why I've been able to grow as a defensive player, just getting better and better, guarding a Hall of Famer every day in practice and figuring his moves out, knowing when he wants to go left, when he wants to go right, when he's going to go to the basket," Williams said. "Just training, training, training. I think that's one of the things that's probably helped me the most."

* Anticipating the moment:

This will not be about the sad, controversial way Iverson's reign with the Sixers ended. It will not be about him walking out on coach Maurice Cheeks in practice, or declining to play the fourth quarter of what became his final game in Chicago, or being told to stay away from the team in the days leading up to the trade.

"I'm sure he'll get a standing ovation," Williams said. "If I know these fans like I think I know them, I'm sure he'll get a standing 'O.' But once the ball goes up, I think they'll be back to a Sixers crowd." *