Philadelphia ? This is the team Allen Iverson expected to see before the season started.

Iverson scored 38 points and Derrick Coleman added 18 points and nine rebounds, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 96-91 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

The Sixers have won 11 of 15 this month to get back in the playoff race. The defending Eastern Conference champions are 23-22, seven games behind New Jersey in the Atlantic Division.

“We’re just coming together as a team,” Iverson said. “We’re understanding where we need to be on the floor. We understand how to win with each other. This team is so much different than last year. Last year we could be 10 points behind with two, three minutes left and we just knew we’d win. We just have to get that fight like last year. The new guys want to get that fight because they don’t want to be a loose link.”

Dikembe Mutombo’s putback of a miss by Eric Snow broke an 88-88 tie with 56.4 seconds left and Iverson hit a long jumper to make it 92-88 with 29.4 remaining. Iverson then iced it with a pair of free throws. Wally Szczerbiak had 31 points and Kevin Garnett added 18 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota, which has lost four of five after winning 11 of 12.

Jazz 90, Bulls 78

Salt Lake City Karl Malone scored 18 points, putting him squarely at 34,000 points in his 17-year career, as Utah beat Chicago. Picked for his 14th All-Star team this week, Malone came into the matchup against the Bulls needing 18 points to reach 34,000. Despite a 5-of-14 shooting night, he got it on a free throw with 1:27 to play.

Lakers 111, Magic 93

Orlando, Fla. Shaquille O’Neal had 30 points and 14 rebounds and Kobe Bryant had 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as Los Angeles beat Orlando. The Lakers outscored Orlando 18-2 to open the final period, as the Magic missed their first nine shots. O’Neal hit a free throw with 5:37 remaining for a 93-79 lead.

Pacers 83, Grizzlies 82

Indianapolis Reggie Miller hit two three-pointers in the final minute his only field goals of the game and Indiana used a game-ending 17-3 run to beat Memphis. Jalen Rose scored 25 points and Jermaine O’Neal had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Pacers, who trailed by 13 with 41/2 minutes left.

Pistons 88, Hawks 71

Auburn Hills, Mich. Jerry Stackhouse had 32 points and Ben Wallace added 10 points and a season-high 19 rebounds to help Detroit beat Atlanta. Detroit won its fourth in a row and the 2,000th game in franchise history, becoming the sixth team to reach that milestone.