If there’s one moment Ty Lue and Allen Iverson’s rivalry brings forth, the ‘stepping over’ incident from the 2001 Finals would undeniably take the cake. Though they weren’t rivals just yet then, the Philadelphia 76ers icon’s fierceness shone through enough for it to nearly spark one. After the many memes, stories, and opinions, Lue suggests a possibility of the NBA never witnessing the moment had it not been for AI and the 76er’s incredible resilience that year.

Appearing on the Draymond Green’s Show with Baron Davis, the Clippers coach recalled some moments from the playoffs that year. The Lakers were odds-on favorites to win the title again after winning it in 2000. The 76ers, despite being the #1 seed team in the Eastern Conference, faced back-to-back grueling encounters—7-game series against the Toronto Raptors and the Milwaukee Bucks. The latter of the teams had been particularly impressive.

With Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson, and Sam Cassell among others, they ranked first in the offensive rating, finished 7th overall in the regular season, and 1st in Central. They would blaze through the Orlando Magic (3-1) and the Charlotte Hornets (4-3) in the playoffs. Had they succeeded in maintaining the momentum into the EC finals, where they led and equaled the score through game 6, AI and Lue would never have had the moment, the latter believes.

“Yeah, so throughout the course of those playoffs, I was playing like you know 10 12 minutes a game. And what people don’t realize, it would have never been me and AI if Milwaukee would have beat the Sixers in the Eastern Conference,” the Clippers coach says on the podcast, reasoning the star-studded roster. And Davis agrees, having been on the defeated side.

But AI and the 76ers pulled up well. After a disappointing game 6, where the Bucks looked unstoppable, leading 60-31 by halftime, Iverson carried his team with a 44-point performance in the last game. He’d keep up with it through the final series.

In the first game then, AI raced to 30 points at the halfway stage of the game. Then Lakers coach, Phil Jackson decided to sub in Tyronn Lue, in order to stop the 76ers legend. At the overtime stage, with scores 103-99 not in favor of Shaquille O’Neal and co. Allen Iverson produced a moment that everybody still remembers. As per SLAM Magazine, The Answer stated the conversation he had with Lue. “I’ve been doing this all season long.”

After the jumper from Iverson, the now Clippers head coach, awkwardly fell to the ground. This was followed by A.I. stepping over Lue, accompanied by a disdainful look and the highlighted words. With that, the Philadelphia franchise won the first game but ultimately would go on to lose the series 4-1. Apart from the championship, Lue also earned AI’s respect.

Allen Iverson on his battle with Lue

“We became really good friends after that.” Tyronn Lue spoke to ESPN in 2016, about his love and admiration for Allen Iverson. “Like, after the Finals, probably four or five years after, we hated each other. But then after the careers went along, we became pretty close and had a good bond. He’s really a good friend of mine.” The one-time MVP also shared the same sentiment regarding the Clippers’ coach.

“I thought he did a lot of holding,” Allen Iverson said of Lue’s defensive effort via UPI. “I was telling the refs that something is wrong if I can’t get the ball in the final 18 seconds (of regulation) for the last shot,” he added. A lot of guys go out against the guy who was named MVP in the regular season and play scared. But he didn’t.”

That’s why Tyronn Lue had no remorse for being floored being stepped over by AI. Because it showed the determination and fight from the former Lakers star during the games.