PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Aaron McKie led a late rally and made the game-winning jumper with 7.1 seconds left Friday night, giving Philadelphia an 85-82 victory over New Orleans.
The 76ers had dropped seven of their previous eight games to fall out of the playoff picture in the weak Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia made just one basket in the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter and trailed, 81-75, when Glenn Robinson began a closing 10-1 surge with a jumper at the 2:40 mark.
McKie, playing down the stretch in place of point guard Eric Snow, made a steal that led to a basket by Kenny Thomas, then tied it with a baseline jumper with 1:35 left.
A free throw by Baron Davis ended a drought of nearly five minutes and gave New Orleans an 82-81 lead with 34 seconds remaining. But McKie sank his 18-footer, bringing his teammates off the bench in celebration.
