PHILADELPHIA (AP) Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Allen Iverson will miss the rest of the regular season because of persistent pain in his right knee.

The team announced Tuesday night that an MRI on Iverson showed no meniscal or ligament damage to his knee, but he has a small lesion under the knee cap.

The injury was diagnosed Monday by New York Giants team doctor Russell Warren.

``It was better now to sit him down so it doesn't linger a lot longer,'' said team president Billy King. ``It's probably best to get it where his knee is 100 percent. It's not a situation where Allen doesn't want to play. His knee just keeps swelling up.''

Messages left for Iverson and his agent, Leon Rose, were not immediately returned.

The Sixers had eight regular-season games left heading into Tuesday night's game against Golden State. Philadelphia is 10th in the Eastern Conference, three games behind eighth-place Boston.

King said Iverson's health would be re-evaluated if the Sixers make the playoffs.

``Worse case scenario, surgery would be an option if it does not calm down,'' King said. ``Rest and rehabilitation hopefully will do it.''