By InsideHoops.com

The Philadelphia 76ers visited Madison Square Garden tonight to battle the New York Knicks. The Sixers are trying to improve their playoff seeding, while the Knicks are eliminated and just playing out the season. In a tough, evenly-fought game, New York came out a winner. InsideHoops and other media interviewed Allen Iverson after the game, discussing his team, this loss, and playoff seeding.

Allen Iverson: We had a chance to win the game, we just couldn't get into any kind of rhythm tonight. We couldn't never pull away from... we had opportunities to widen the margin, and we just couldn't. And at the end of the game when it was winning time, they made shots and we didn't.

Talk about your teammates being injured and trying to win despite missing starters.

Allen Iverson: Yeah, it's tough. Guys being already beat up, and then on top of that, we played back to back, and we're missing Derrick (Coleman) and we're missing Keith (Van Horn). So it's kind of tough, trying to get any type of chemistry, because new guys got to step in and fill those roles. Like you said, it's no excuse, we felt we should have had this game, definitely.

And you're trying to improve your playoff seeding, while the Knicks are done and playing with no pressure.

Allen Iverson: And that's the thing, those guys are playing out there with no sense of urgency; we have to be. They're not going to the playoffs, so they have nothing to lose. We have everything to lose, being that we're trying to get the first spot, or a better seeding. It's frustrating, in that sense, but we understand that there's going to be nights like this when we can't play well. We just hope we can get in a couple games before the playoffs with everybody on the floor so we can get our rhythm.

Is it worth sacrificing a win or two now to be healthier and win them back later?

Allen Iverson: Yeah, definitely. I promise you that. I'd rather lose now than lose in the playoffs. But I don't want to lose now. But I'd rather lose now than in the playoffs, definitely. But I didn't feel good about the way we played tonight, especially myself. I had a lot of open looks, shots that I usually make. I think I gambled a little bit too much defensively, and that opened up wide open threes for them. I think it's definitely a learning experience for me, something I need to watch on film and try to get better and not make the mistakes I made tonight.

Talk about wanting to play consistently well, since it's usually hard to just turn it on and off.

Allen Iverson: You're right about that. You want to be playing well going in, because hopefully your chemistry is going to be there. You never know, in this game, what's going to happen night in and night out, so all you do is compete. The most important thing is competing, and playing every game like it's your last. Because, I said a million times, once you do that, after the game is over, win or lose, you can look in the mirror and be happy about yourself.

How closely to you follow the standings and how other teams close to your team's seeding are doing?

Allen Iverson: I don't pay attention to it, but I care about the seedings, why wouldn't I. I want to get the best position that we can possibly get. This one doesn't help at all. (New) Jersey just lost. We could have did a lot of things as far as the seeding... would have won this game, but, coulda woulda shoulda don't matter.


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