In their first playoff game in eight years, the Philadelphia 76ers showed the poise of postseason veterans down the stretch.

NBA scoring champion Allen Iverson scored 30 points in his first playoff game and the play of 7-footer Matt Geiger in the fourth quarter lifted Philadelphia to a 104-90 victory over the Orlando Magic in the opener of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

"I am still excited about this game," Iverson said. "I feel like I could still play another 48 minutes. The crowd was against us and it was just great playing in that kind of atmosphere. This was my first one, and I would love to play in a lot more."

"Allen told me he got 15 minutes of sleep last night, that was 15 more than I expected," said 76ers coach Larry Brown, who took his record sixth different organization to the playoffs. "It was a big thing for him to finally get here."

The game was tied at 78-78 with eight minutes left when the 76ers went on a 23-8 run over the next seven minutes to put away the game. Geiger scored 10 of his playoff career-high 23 points in that span. He also finished with a postseason-high 10 rebounds.

"I think their big guys focused on Allen a lot," Geiger said. "I got to some key spots and my teammates found me. I am feeling good about my shot right now."

Geiger, who was signed as a free agent to a six-year, $48 million contract before the season, averaged 13.5 points in 50 games during the regular season.

With Orlando's defense scrambling to double-team Iverson whenever he drove, the 76ers took advantage and grabbed 24 offensive rebounds. As a result, Philadelphia held a huge 57-36 edge on the boards.

"When you get beat by 21 rebounds in a game you are going to have a major uphill battle to stay in the game," Magic coach Chuck Daly said.

While Orlando forwards Horace Grant, Bo Outlaw and Derek Strong and centers Ike Austin and Michael Doleac converged on Iverson when he often beat his primary defender off the dribble, George Lynch was able to snake inside and grab seven offensive rebounds, many of which he converted into easy follow shots. He finished with playoff career highs 15 points and 12 rebounds.

"We try and think of ourselves as a physical team and try and rebound," Lynch said. "Today, I took it upon myself to grab every offensive rebound."

Penny Hardaway, playing with a torn ligament in his right wrist, led the Magic with 19 points but just three in the second half. Hardaway appeared reluctant to shoot from the outside because of the injury and was just 4-of-13 from the field.

Orlando's potent three-guard alignment of Hardaway, Nick Anderson and Darrell Armstrong combined to shoot just 16-of-49. Anderson and Armstrong each scored 18 points, but Anderson was 6-of-22 from the field and converted just 2-of-12 3-pointers. Armstrong hit four 3-pointers, but also had seven turnovers.

"They played well, they played their hearts out," Armstrong said. "They crashed the boards, they did everything they had to do. Give them credit, they played harder than we did."

Game Two of the best-of-five series is Tuesday night at Orlando. The Magic's 21-4 home record was the best in the East during the regular season.

Daly, known for instituting a special defensive strategy against Michael Jordan which became known as the "Jordan Rules" while coaching the Detroit Pistons to back-to-back NBA titles in 1989 and 1990, made special contingencies for Iverson.

During the regular season, Iverson averaged 22.7 points in three games against the Magic, but shot just 37 percent from the field.

Today, Daly again used a multitude of defenders against Iverson, who made 12-of-29 shots. Along with Orlando's three guards, forwards Matt Harpring and Outlaw also took turns on Iverson. But none could stop Iverson from effectively driving to the basket, which caused Orlando's interior defenders to scramble out of position, leaving the Sixers free to crash the boards.

"We've done about everything," Daly said. "I think no matter what you do he is going to get 25 points. We don't have the quickness to double him. We have to run at him with Derek Strong, Ike Austin and Michael Doleac."

"I really don't think anybody can guard me," Iverson said. "I am not being conceited. I just believe in my God-given ability. I don't think anybody can guard me one-on-one."

Despite being pounded on the boards and shooting poorly, Orlando hung tough through most of the second half and even took a 76-75 lead on a follow shot by rookie Michael Doleac with 9:18 left.

Tyrone Hill rebounded Iverson's miss and converted a follow shot while being fouled. He added the free throw to give the 76ers a two-point lead but Orlando tied it on Anderson's lane hook.

Just 5-of-17 in the second half, Iverson gave the Sixers the lead for good when he faked Armstrong with a stutter-step and hit a 15-footer Geiger hit an inside basket with 6:54 left to increase the lead to 82-78.

Armstrong hit his fourth 3-pointer to pull Orlando within 82-81. After Iverson converted 1-of-2 free throws, the Magic turned the ball over twice. Lynch hit two free throws and Theo Ratliff had one to open an 86-81 lead for the Sixers.

After an illegal defense call, Armstrong hit a free throw but Hardaway missed a layup. Eric Snow set up Geiger with a perfect alley-oop pass for a dunk to give Philadelphia an 88-82 lead with just under five minutes left.

Orlando's Derek Strong and Isaac Austin hit jumpers but Geiger responded with jumpers of his own each time. The Sixers scored the next nine points to put away the game. After Ratliff hit a pair of free throws with 2:50 left, Iverson found Snow for a fast-break layup that opened a 96-86 lead with 1:56 to go.

Iverson celebrated by chest-bumping Lynch while most of the stunned sellout crowd of 15,267 filed out. Geiger hit four free throws and Snow added three in the final 86 seconds.

Iverson and Lynch combined for 20 points to help Philadelphia build a 31-22 lead after one period. Iverson hit a runner in the lane and a jumper and rookie Larry Hughes converted a follow shot and a dunk as the Sixers closed the quarter with a 9-2 run.

"We played so hard in the first quarter that I thought that might have set the tone," Brown said.

Orlando cut the deficit to 50-47 at halftime thanks to its foul shooting. Hardaway was 10-of-12 from the line in the second quarter and the Magic were 23-of-31 from the line in the first half.

Anderson drilled a 3-pointer to open the second half, tying the game. Orlando took a 57-56 lead on a 3-pointer by Armstrong with 8:54 left in the third quarter but Philadelphia scored the next six points on a tip by Ratliff, a pair of free throws by Lynch after he was fouled on an offensive rebound and two free throws by Snow.

Orlando responded with a 7-2 run and tied the game at 64-64 on a three-point play by Doleac with just under three minutes left in the third quarter.