"I made a mistake and I'm sorry and I apologized for it," the star guard said Tuesday at the team's suburban practice facility.

Iverson skipped practice Sunday in New York and was suspended for Monday night's game against Boston. Iverson said Brown's decision was fair, and the coach wants to put the matter to rest.

"He would be a senior in college," Brown said of the 22-year-old player. "He's a young kid. I haven't been around anybody that hasn't made a mistake."

Iverson is the first player Brown has suspended since he began coaching pro basketball.

"I've never been a stickler for rules and never had to worry about fines and that's what makes it so difficult," Brown said. "I really believe strongly this won't happen again."

With Iverson on the bench in street clothes, the 76ers lost to Boston 100-87. Iverson, believed to have been fined $2,500, refused after the game to discuss his latest transgression.

Brown said he had no choice but to bench Iverson, even though he knew it would hurt the 76ers (6-15). Iverson is the team's leading scorer, averaging 21.4 points, and without him the 76ers have trouble moving the ball. They turned over the ball 29 times against Boston.

"He was punished and our whole team was punished," Brown said. "Nobody wins in a situation like that."

Iverson asked to be a captain this year -- a request Brown granted -- and the point guard said he understands his skipping practice is not in keeping with his leadership role.

"I can accept when people praise me, so I can definitely accept when I'm criticized," he said.

Iverson has a history of run-ins with authority. In 1993, he was convicted for his role in a race-related bowling alley brawl in his native Virginia, although the conviction was later reversed.

In August, Iverson was arrested and charged with drug and firearms possession after the car in which he was riding was stopped for speeding. He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor firearms charge and the drug charge was dropped.

Brown said he didn't think Iverson's latest trouble would harm the team in the long run.

"He showed me a lot today, coming here like a man ready to play, ready to practice, ready to get on to it," Brown said. "That's something that I appreciate."

Brown and general manager Billy King dismissed a report out of New York that the 76ers were considering trading Iverson to the Toronto Raptors for point guard Damon Stoudamire.

"Think of the rationale behind that. You trade Allen for a guy in the last year of his contract who plays the same position?" Brown said. "I don't think we're going to do that."

Brown said the 76ers have been talking trade with the Raptors and other teams "but I don't think anything's imminent."

Still, Brown said he's beginning to realize he can't win with this mix of players.

"We're going to continue to talk," he said. "We're 6-15 right now and struggling. We've got to look at ways to improve our club."