This means that Iverson, the defending NBA scoring champion, could miss at least 11 games.

"Three weeks," muttered Iverson, who leads the league with a 30.8 points per-game-scoring average. Then, with tears in his eyes, he said, "I don't know what to say."

Iverson also was upset because the NBA instituted new rules this season to reduce contact on players handling the ball.

"This is all I got out of the new rules," he said, referring to the broken thumb. "This and getting called for palming [the ball] a whole lot. People say the new rules are supposed to help guys with a game like mine, and all I got out of this is a whole bunch of injuries."

Iverson suffered the injury during a spill he took chasing a loose ball in the first half of a 94-91 loss to the defending champion San Antonio Spurs at the First Union Center. An MRI found a small break but no ligament damage.

The injury will force Iverson to be in a cast for 21/2 weeks. Then he will be evaluated to see if a splint is needed before he undergoes physical therapy.

"I would anticipate the soonest he'll be able to get back playing is in three weeks," said Jack McPhilemy, the team doctor. "The maximum for Allen could be six weeks, but I'd be very surprised if it took that long."

Iverson has missed 10 games in his four seasons in the NBA, eight due to injuries. In those 10 games, the Sixers are 2-8 and averaged only 85.1 points.

So it came as no surprise that Sixers coach Larry Brown said he was "devastated" over the situation, and forward/center Tyrone Hill said the team "is cursed."

With Iverson down, the Sixers continue to be decimated by injuries. They started the season with Matt Geiger (knee), Theo Ratliff (ankle) and Stanley Roberts (shoulder) on the injured list. Hill even came off the injured list despite a fractured right thumb because he felt the team needed him.

According to McPhilemy, Geiger won't be available until Dec. 3 or 4 because of his left knee injury. Ratliff, following a subpar 1-for-11 shooting performance against the Spurs, is feeling discomfort in his right ankle and will have to cut back on practice time. Roberts is now suffering from a strained back and will be out for at least another four games.

And there's more. Billy Owens didn't practice yesterday because his knees are bothering him again. And Hill, still suffering from his thumb injury, can barely catch a pass because of it.

The only good news that came out of their latest E.R. episode was for Larry Hughes, who Brown says will see significant playing time now that Iverson is gone.

"I would never call injuries a blessing," Brown said before hearing news of Iverson's status. "I don't think it's a good thing at all. But, assuming Allen's gone, it'll give a chance for other guys to step up. We'll certainly need them to."

"That's what it comes down to," said Hughes, fresh off his best game this season, according to Brown. "I've got to step up, and other guys have got to step up. Losing Allen is a big loss, but it's something we can't change right now. We've just got to do our best to keep things afloat until the guys return."

Hughes had 15 points and four assists against the Spurs.

Iverson was more than willing to keep things afloat over the last two weeks. Although the 5-7 Sixers averaged only 92.8 points per game, he provided more than 33 percent of the scoring.

"I'm going to be worried," Iverson said.

The Sixers enter a seven-game stretch beginning tonight against the Washington Wizards. Then they play the likes of the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers without their main man.

"It's obvious we need the other guys, but I know I need to be playing to," said Iverson, who would still be eligible for the scoring title if he returns after missing 11 games. "I don't do us any good sitting on the sidelines."

Hill put it this way: "People don't understand how hard it is for us to sit out," he said. "We got that feeling of success last season and it felt so good. So we keep pushing each other to play, even if we're hurt, just rushing ourselves back to prevent a snowball effect. Something's got to give somewhere, man. I mean, it's getting desperate. Look at Allen's face and you can see as much. You really can."