June 6, 2001. Staples Center.
The Los Angeles Lakers were basically gods. They hadn't lost a playoff game all year. Not one. They entered the 2001 NBA Finals with an 11-0 record in the postseason, looking to complete the most dominant run in the history of the sport. Everyone—and I mean everyone—expected a sweep.
Then Allen Iverson happened.
You've seen the clip. It’s the ultimate basketball meme before memes were even a thing. AI hits a corner jumper, Tyronn Lue falls, and Iverson takes a slow, exaggerated, high-knees step over him. It wasn't just a bucket. It was a declaration of war.
Iverson Stepping Over Lue: The Story You Don’t Hear
People remember the step-over, but they forget that Tyronn Lue was actually playing some of the best defense of his life that night.
Phil Jackson was desperate. Iverson had 30 points by halftime, absolutely cooking Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher. So, Phil turned to Lue, a backup who had spent the entire week in practice wearing a sleeve and pretending to be Iverson. Lue was the designated "AI Stopper."
And for a while? It worked.
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Lue was a pest. He held Iverson to just 3 points through the entire fourth quarter. The game went to overtime because Lue was practically living in Iverson’s jersey. Honestly, Iverson was frustrated. He’s admitted later that the refs were letting Lue get away with a lot of "hand-checking" (the polite term for holding).
The Play That Changed Everything
With about a minute left in OT, the Sixers were up by two. Iverson gets the ball in the right corner. Lue is right there, mirroring his every move.
Iverson:
- Between-the-legs crossover.
- Step-back to the baseline.
- Swish.
Lue contested it so hard he actually tripped over his own momentum and fell. As Iverson watched the ball go through the net, he didn't just run back. He stared down at Lue, lifted his leg like he was climbing a mountain, and marched right over him.
The crowd went silent. The Lakers' 19-game winning streak (counting the end of the regular season) was about to die.
Why the Step-Over Still Matters in 2026
You might think, "It’s just one play, who cares?"
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But iverson stepping over lue became a cultural bridge. It was the moment the "hip-hop era" of the NBA officially took over. AI wasn't just stepping over a defender; he was stepping over the "traditional" NBA that hated his cornrows, his tattoos, and his baggy clothes.
It was the ultimate "f*** you" to the establishment.
The Aftermath and the "Lue Contract"
Here’s a fun fact most people miss: Iverson actually jokes that he got Tyronn Lue paid.
Because Lue played such a huge role in that series—and was the only guy who could even remotely slow AI down—his stock soared. He signed a big contract with Washington the following year. Iverson once told Lue, "You got that money because of me."
Lue’s response? "Thank you."
The two are actually friends now. No beef. Just two competitors who respect the hell out of each other. Lue has gone on to be a championship-winning coach, but he knows that every time he walks into an arena, some kid is going to ask him about the time The Answer walked over his chest.
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The Numbers From the Night
If you want to know how insane Iverson was in Game 1, just look at the stat line.
Allen Iverson: 48 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 5 steals.
Shaquille O'Neal: 44 points, 20 rebounds.
It was a clash of titans. Shaq was a bulldozer; Iverson was a lightning bolt. Philly won 107-101. It would be the only game the Lakers lost in the entire 2001 playoffs.
What You Can Learn From This
The "Step Over" isn't just about disrespect. It’s about resilience. Iverson was 6 feet tall (maybe) and 165 pounds. He was playing against a Lakers team that was physically superior in every way. He got knocked down probably 20 times that game. But he kept coming.
If you're looking for actionable takeaways from the Iverson mindset:
- Don't let the "pest" win. Lue was annoying him all night, but AI waited for his moment to deliver the dagger.
- Confidence is a weapon. The step-over was psychological. It told the Lakers they weren't invincible.
- Style is substance. Iverson stayed true to himself, even when the league tried to change him.
The Lakers won the series 4-1. They got the rings. But when we talk about the 2001 Finals twenty-five years later, we don't talk about the trophy. We talk about the man in the black jersey stepping over the guy in the yellow jersey.
To really understand the impact, you have to watch the footwork. Look at how Iverson doesn't just walk—he pauses. He makes sure everyone in the building sees what he's doing. It was a masterpiece of theater.
If you want to dive deeper into NBA history, start by looking at Iverson's 2001 MVP season highlights. It's probably the most "efficient" season of high-volume scoring we've ever seen from a guard that size. Watch the way he used the crossover to create space, not just to show off. He was a tactician disguised as a streetballer.