Philadelphia guard Allen Iverson won't return until Dec. 28 against Portland at the earliest.

Iverson missed his second straight game on Saturday night with arthritis in his left knee.

"Rest is the best thing for him, for about a week now," coach Eddie Jordan said before the 76ers battled the Clippers. "He feels confident that he'll feel great the rest of the year."

The 76ers did get some good news on Saturday when guard Lou Williams, who broke his jaw on Nov. 24, returned to the lineup much earlier than expected.

Williams had six points and four assists in 29 minutes against Los Angeles.