Los Angeles - Memphis Grizzlies guard Allen Iverson, unhappy with his role as a bench player, has been given permission to leave the team to deal with a personal issue, a newspaper reported.

Iverson, a 10-time All-Star signed as a free agent during the off season, met with Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley in Los Angeles after a 114-98 loss to the Lakers, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Saturday.

According to the report, Iverson again met with Heisley Saturday morning before leaving for Atlanta, where he lives in the off season.

Los Angeles - With three key players out with injuries, Allen Iverson stepped in to rescue the Detroit Pistons.

Iverson scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half, and the short-handed Pistons clipped the visiting New Jersey Nets 83-75 on Wednesday for their fifth straight victory.

Detroit played without All-Star guard Richard Hamilton, out with a groin injury, top reserve Antonio McDyess (sore ribs) and lost starting centre Rasheed Wallace to a sore right foot in the second quarter. However, the resilient Pistons relied on Iverson's offence, and a stifling defence by a makeshift lineup to hold the Nets to a season-low point total on 37 per cent field goal shooting.