Another loss adds to 76ers’ infamy
Philadelphia ties record for futility to open a season
MEMPHIS, Tenn.— This deep into a history-making losing streak, the Philadelphia 76ers are running out of words.
“It was what you saw” in the fourth quarter, Philadelphia center Jahlil Okafor said after the Memphis Grizzlies earned a 92-84 win Sunday, sending the 76ers to their 18th consecutive loss to start the season. “We turned it over a few times. Missed some shots.”
The 76ers tied the NBA’s all-time mark for most losses to begin a season, set in 2009 by the New Jersey Nets. It was Philadelphia’s 28th consecutive defeat dating to last season, the longest skid by a team in any major North American sport.
Philadelphia committed eight turnovers in the fourth quarter while shooting 18.8 percent from the floor (3-for-16) in the period.
As has happened several times during the streak, the 76ers couldn’t hold a fourth-quarter lead. They went up 76-71 on two free throws from Isaiah Canaan, who scored a team-high 16 points, with 7:38 left.
However, the Grizzlies went on an 18-3 run to go up 89-79 as Jeff Green, who finished with13 points, hit a 3-pointer with 2:22 left.
After that, the 76ers never made it a one-possession game.
For the Grizzlies (10-8), the comeback was a matter of averting disaster.
“We didn’t want to be that team,” Mike Conley said of potentially being the first team to lose to the 76ers this season. “We’d end up being in the history books forever.”
Still, Conley — who had a game-high 20 points and five assists — gave the 76ers props for the way they played.
“They are out there playing as hard as any other team,” Conley said. “They are scrapping and giving you different looks.”
Zach Randolph had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, and Marc Gasol had nine points and 12 rebounds. Matt Barnes chipped in 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists off the bench.
The Grizzlies committed a season-high 26 turnovers, which Philadelphia converted into 28 points. However, the 76ers, who average more turnovers than any NBA team, gave the ball away 27 times, leading to 25Memphis points.
To an extent, it was what the 76ers wanted to do: create chaos. Coach Brett Brown was determined to stay out of a ground-and-pound game that would favor Gasol and Randolph.
“Play with pace and space and avoid the fistfight,” Brown said. “You know that gives you the best chance of being in the game and maybe stealing a win.”
This was the last game of a six-game road trip for the 76ers, and the previous four losses all were by five points or fewer.
“I think we made tons of progression,” said Okafor, whohad nine points and 13 rebounds. “We’re competing with every team, going down to the wire.”
Pacers 107, Lakers 103 — At Los Angeles, Paul George scored Indiana’s final 11 points in the last 1:27, finishing with 39, as the Pacers won their fifth straight despite blowing all but one point of a 22-point lead. Kobe Bryant scored 13 points on 4-for-20 shooting after declaring he will retire at the end of the season as Los Angeles lost its sixth straight. Bryant hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left to trim the Lakers’ deficit to 104-103. But, after Los Angeles got the ball back with a three-point deficit, Bryant shot an airball on a 3.
Rockets 116, Knicks 111, OT — At New York, James Harden scored 26 points for Houston, which rallied from a 14-point deficit in the final eight-plus minutes of regulation. Marcus Thornton and Clint Capela had 18 points each for the Rockets, who won for the third time in 10 games. Arron Afflalo had 31 points and Kristaps Porzingis 20 points and 13 rebounds for New York, which lost its fourth straight despite shooting 57.7 percent.
Nets 87, Pistons 83 — At New York, Thaddeus Young had 19 points and 10 rebounds as Brooklyn snapped a three-game losing streak. Brook Lopez hit a key free throw with 29.8 seconds left and totaled 15 points for the Nets, who have won three of their past nine. Andre Drummond had 20 points and 18 rebounds for Detroit, which lost its second straight.
Magic 110, Celtics 91 — At Orlando, Fla., Victor Oladipo had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Orlando, which won its third straight. Nikola Vucevic had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic (9-8), who are above .500 going into December for the first time since 2012. Isaiah Thomas scored 20 points and Findlay Prep product Avery Bradley 17 for Boston.
Hornets 87, Bucks 82 — At Charlotte, N.C., Nicolas Batum hit a 3-pointer with 45.9 seconds left for the go-ahead basket for Charlotte. Kemba Walker tacked on a jumper and two free throws in the final 24.7 minutes and totaled 22 points for the Hornets, who won for the fifth time in six games but lost center Al Jefferson to a calf injury. Khris Middleton paced Milwaukee with 19 points.
Suns 107, Raptors 102 — At Toronto, Eric Bledsoe had 20 points and 11 assists, hitting two key free throws with two minutes left, as Phoenix halted a four-game slide. DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points and Kyle Lowry 17 for Toronto, whichhaditsfourgame win streak snapped.
Clippers 107, Timberwolves 99 — At Los Angeles, Blake Griffin scored 26 points and Chris Paul 20 as Los Angeles posted its 13th straight victory over Minnesota. Andrew Wiggins had 21 points, Zach LaVine 18 and Karl-Anthony Towns 17 for the Timberwolves, whose three-game win streak ended.