Sixers Notes: Pistons' coach: Iverson is special

Last night's game against the Detroit Pistons was the second straight for the 76ers against former teams of their new point guard, Allen Iverson.

On Monday in Iverson's return to the Sixers, they lost to the Denver Nuggets, the team that landed him in a trade with the Sixers in 2006.

Last season, the Nuggets dealt Iverson to the Detroit Pistons, last night's opponent.

Detroit's first-year head coach is John Kuester, who spent six seasons (1997-2003) as an assistant coach with the Sixers under Larry Brown.

Ninety minutes before last night's tip-off, Kuester called Iverson "one of the most special athletes" he's seen.

"I can see that he's going to exert himself, and the one thing that Philadelphia is getting is a player that wants people to have a good taste in their mouth about him in the end," Kuester said. "I think one of the things he'll try to prove to them is, 'Hey, I have a lot of basketball left in my life and I want to give something back special to the Philadelphia area.' "

Iverson said he knew last night's game was different - because of the opponent, because he has spent time in a Pistons uniform.

"You know what? Obviously there's going to be something there because I played with them and I know a lot of guys on the team," Iverson said. "I'd be lying if I said it's not something I was thinking about, but it's another game. We've lost 10 in a row. We just need a win."

Rookie guard Jrue Holiday missed his third straight game with a right rotator cuff strain.

The Pistons were without their three best players: guard Ben Gordon (left ankle sprain), guard Richard Hamilton (right ankle sprain), and forward Tayshaun Prince (ruptured disk).

According to Forbes magazine, the Sixers are the 14th most valuable NBA franchise, worth $344 million. Forbes put the Los Angeles Lakers atop the list at $607 million.

According to the magazine, 12 NBA franchises lost money in the 2008-09 season: Dallas, Portland, Orlando, Atlanta, Sacramento, Indiana, Charlotte, New Jersey, Minnesota, New Orleans, Memphis, and Milwaukee.

Comcast SportsNet is streaming Sixers games online at www.csnphilly.com. The games are shown in high definition. The cost is $76 for the season or $17.76 for a 30-day period.

- Kate Fagan