Sixers in a fix
76ers equal longest losing streak in US
Philadelphia match unenviable record with loss to Boston
BOSTON: Isaiah Thomas scored 30 points and Jae Crowder hit a go-ahead threepointer as the Boston Celtics rallied to beat Philadelphia 84-80 on Wednesday, handing the 76ers their 16th straight loss to open the season and record-tying 26th in a row overall.
Philadelphia tied the major US professional sports futility mark set by the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976-77 and matched by the 76ers in 2013-14. They are two losses away from tying the then-New Jersey Nets’ NBA-worst mark of 18 losses to open a season.
“How many streaks have I been a part of?” 76ers third-year coach Brett Brown said. “I’m numb to it.”
Jahill Okafor led the 76ers with 19 points and nine rebounds.
Elsewhere, Toronto topped Cleveland 103-99 for their third straight victory, Utah beat slumping Los Angeles 102-91 to end a 13-game skid against the Clippers, Memphis beat struggling Houston 102-93, and Charlotte closed with a 25-2 run to beat Washington 101-87.
In Toronto, Kyle Lowry scored 27 points and DeMar DeRozan added 20 as the Raptors handed the Cavaliers their third straight road loss.
After missing their first five shots of the fourth quarter, the Raptors scored nine straight points over a two-minute span to open a 91-84 lead with 5:38 minutes to go.
LeBron James had 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Cavaliers, and Kevin Love added 21 points and 13 rebounds.
Utah’s Gordon Hayward scored 14 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter, while Derrick Favors scored 22 points and Rudy Gobert had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Blake Griffin had 40 points — two off his career high — and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who fell to 7-8 with their seventh loss in eight games.
Houston’s troubles also continued against the Grizzlies as the Rockets lost their third straight to drop to 5-10 overall and 1-3 since coach Kevin McHale was fired and replaced by JB Bickerstaff.
Jeff Green scored 20 points and Courtney Lee had 10 of his 17 in the fourth quarter for Memphis, while James Harden had 40 points for the Rockets.
Charlotte overcame a late nine-point deficit and set a team record by holding the Wizards to six points in the fourth quarter. The Hornets have won five of six overall.
Jeremy Lamb had 18 points and seven rebounds and Nicolas Batum added 16 points and 11 assists and Kemba Walker had 16 points.
In other games, Zach LaVine had 18 points, six assists and five rebounds in place of the injured Ricky Rubio as Minnesota beat Atlanta 99-95.
Rubio first tweaked his left ankle on Monday against Philadelphia and tried to play through it Wednesday, but another spill in the second quarter limited him to 21 minutes.
In San Antonio, Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 18 points and seven rebounds as the Spurs beat Dallas 88-83.
Detroit’s Andre Drummond had 18 points and 20 rebounds to lead the Pistons over Miami 104-81 to end a two-game losing streak.
Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant scored 30 points and Russell Westbrook added 27 points and 13 assists as the Thunder beat Brooklyn 110-99.
Also, Sacramento topped Milwaukee 129-118, New Orleans defeated Phoenix 120-114, and Orlando edged the New York Knicks 100-91.