Iverson, Anthony may thrive together

MILWAUKEE — Though Miami Heat president and coach Pat Riley failed to work out a deal to acquire Allen Iverson, he said Wednesday night the perennial All-Star should flourish in Denver alongside Carmelo Anthony and coach George Karl.

"I don't see there's going to be any problem at all, I really don't," Riley said before Miami's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. "I think Allen wants to win now, so I think he'll be more than accommodating."

Riley, who announced earlier this week that the Heat were out of the running to acquire the seven-time All-Star, said Karl would be important in making sure the relationship between Anthony and Iverson, the NBA's top two scorers, stays positive in Denver.

"I think George is very good at being able to probably monitor some of that stuff. I do believe their system is appropriate for both of them," Riley said. "They really get out and run, they open the court up and Allen is great in the open court."

The four-time scoring champion was traded Tuesday by the Philadelphia 76ers to the Nuggets for Andre Miller, Joe Smith and two 2007 first-round picks. The Nuggets also got Ivan McFarlin.

Riley said the Heat had many discussions with Sixers team president Billy King about trade scenarios, but couldn't find the right combination.

"It just never worked out," Riley said.

He wouldn't say whether he thought King got a better value for Iverson from Denver than what the Heat offered.

"It's all in the eyes of the beholder," Riley said. "We can all judge the way we want to judge, but Billy did what he wanted to do and that was to get picks, it looks like. So he can get three of them this year, an expiring contract (with Smith), the assist leader, or the third-best assist leader in the league, in Andre."

Riley also said Iverson moving to the Western Conference might have factored in King's decision. Iverson was averaging 31.2 points per game for Philadelphia this season, his 11th with the franchise that drafted him No. 1 overall in 1996.

GRIZZLIES SALE: The owner of the Memphis Grizzlies told the group headed up by Brian Davis and Christian Laettner they have until Jan. 15 to come up with the money to buy his majority share of the team, but he doubts they can meet that deadline.

That was the date set in the contract for the real estate developer and his group to buy billionaire Michael Heisley's 70 percent share of the Grizzlies. The NBA is not considering the application because Davis has not been able to show that he can come up with $252 million or the millions he needs to be controlling partner.