The Detroit Pistons announced today that Allen Iverson is done for the season with a bad back. This comes just days after Iverson returned to the Pistons’ lineup, but in an unfamiliar role: as a reserve. Playing 21, 17, and 16 minutes in his three games back, Iverson complained about his playing time and even spoke about retirement. From Philadelphia to Denver to Detroit, the only thing we’ve learned about Allen Iverson is that he is a cancer.

The greatest players of all-time all have one thing: a championship ring. As great a player as Iverson is, he has had only one real chance to capture the crown and even that chance wasn’t that great. He took the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals, but they were easily defeated by the Lakers in five games. Except for that one season, Iverson’s record in the playoffs with the 76ers is 17-23, nothing to brag about. He may have been a superstar during his time with the 76ers, but he never was a winner.

Then he was traded to Denver to team up with Carmelo Anthony with what was deemed the best 1-2 punch in the NBA. Iverson was even more unsuccessful with the Nuggets as he won only one out of nine playoff games in his two seasons there. The tandem of him and Anthony should have done better. They should have been nearly unstoppable. All Anthony and Iverson had to do was to play unselfishly and to give the ball up for them to win. For whatever reason, neither really did that and the Nuggets never threatened for the Western Conference crown. Continue reading “Allen Iverson: The Cancer of the NBA” →