Allen Iverson missed his third consecutive game last night with a sprained left ankle, and the 76ers tried to continue undefeated without him against the Phoenix Suns.

Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks appreciated the fact that the Sixers went 2-0 in their first two contests without Iverson, the NBA's second-leading scorer, because of good offensive execution and hustling defense.

But for anyone thinking the Sixers are better off without Iverson, he's got some news for you.

"I know these questions and all these things come about," Cheeks said before the game. "Allen Iverson is probably the best open-court player. When you have a guy like Allen Iverson, you've got to utilize his talents. There would be no sense of having him out on the floor without utilizing his talents.

"I can't even imagine the talent that he has. You've seen him for 10 years. The way Allen Iverson plays is unbelievable. Having said that, our other guys are not 40-50-point scorers. These guys have to utilize each other."