Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (right) dunks the ball on Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez during the second quarter of their NBA game in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Wednesday. (USA TODAY Sports)
DPA/Los Angeles
The Philadelphia 76ers are streaking into the record books - but for all the wrong reasons.
Isaiah Thomas scored a season-high 30 points and Jae Crowder buried the go-ahead triple with 38.6 seconds left in an 18-3 closing run, and the host Boston Celtics dropped the hapless Sixers to 0-16 to start the season after Wednesday’s 84-80 come-from-behind victory.
“We buckled down at the end and Jae made a big shot for us,” Thomas said. “That team (the 76ers) fights no matter what it is. They’re 0-16 but they give everybody their best shot.”
Philadelphia’s 26th consecutive loss dating back to March 27, ties the US professional record for futility established by the National Football League’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976-77. The 2013-14 Sixers and the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers matched it and own the NBA mark.
The 76ers also moved within a loss of equaling their franchise-worst 0-17 mark set last season and are two defeats from the all-time NBA record of 18 owned by the then 2009-10 New Jersey Nets.
Rookie Jahlil Okafor led Philadelphia with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Robert Covington finished with 11 points, a season-best 14 boards and six steals.
“It’s hard,” Sixers forward Nerlens Noel said. “You’re getting so close to that first W. We got to do a better job of closing out games.”
The Sixers led 77-66 midway through the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold it.
Thomas’ driving layup off a Crowder steal pulled the Celtics to within 80-79. The Sixers then coughed up the ball and Crowder connected on the straight-away triple.
“I didn’t want to lose,” said Crowder, who finished with eight points. “You know how much of a disappointment it would have been to all of us.”
The Sixers had a shot to force overtime but Phil Pressey missed a short jumper in the lane with 2.4 seconds remaining and Thomas made two free throws to seal the improbable win.
“We came together as a group,” Thomas said. “That’s what good teams do.”
ELSEWHERE
San Antonio Spurs 88, Dallas Mavericks 83: Kawhi Leonard dropped in 26 points, LaMarcus Aldridge added 18, and the Spurs (12-3) improved to 8-0 at home after handing the Mavs (9-7) a third straight loss.
Toronto Raptors 103, Cleveland Cavaliers 99: Kyle Lowry tossed in 27 points, DeMar DeRozan added 20, and the Raptors (10-6) won their third straight after edging visiting Cavaliers (11-4) led by the 24 of LeBron James.
Detroit Pistons 104, Miami Heat 81: Andre Drummond had 18 points, 20 rebounds and a season-high five blocks, and the Pistons (8-7) held Dwyane Wade to just two points on 1-of-9 shooting to beat the visiting Heat (9-5).
Orlando Magic 100, New York Knicks 91: Victor Oladipo came off the bench to score a season-high 24 points, Nik Vucevic added 22 with 10 rebounds, and the Magic (7-8) held the Knicks (8-6) to a frosty 37 per cent shooting. Carmelo Anthony had 28 points and 13 rebounds in New York’s (8-8) second loss following a four-game success.
Charlotte Hornets 101, Washington Wizards 87: Jeremy Lamb scored 18 points, Frenchman Nicolas Batum added 16 with 11 assists, and the host Hornets (9-6) closed on a 25-2 run to beat the Wizards (6-7) for their third straight win.
Utah Jazz 102, LA Clippers 91: Gordon Hayward tossed in a season-high 33 points and the visiting Jazz (7-7) stopped a 13-game losing streak to the struggling Clippers (7-8), who wasted Blake Griffin’s 40-point effort on 18-of-23 shooting.
Minnesota Timberwolves 99, Atlanta Hawks 95: Zach LaVine, filling in for sore-ankled Spaniard Ricky Rubio had 18 points, and the T-Wolves (7-8) caged the visiting Hawks for their second straight home victory following a 0-6 start. Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague paced Atlanta (10-7) with 22 points apiece.
Sacramento Kings 129, Milwaukee Bucks 118: Rudy Gay dropped in 36 points and the Kings (5-10) - minus All-Star centre DeMarcus Cousins because of a lower back strain - beat the Bucks (6-9) for just their second road victory of the season.
Memphis Grizzlies 102, Houston Rockets 93: Jeff Green scored 20 points, Courtney Lee added 10 of his 17 in the final quarter and the visiting Grizzlies (9-7) withstood 40-point effort by James Harden to drop the Rockets (5-10) to 1-3 since JB Bickerstaff replaced fired coach Kevin McHale.
Oklahoma City Thunder 110, Brooklyn Nets 99: Kevin Durant fired in 30 points, Russell Westbrook added 27 with 13 assists, and the visiting Thunder (9-6) pulled away for a third straight victory after clipping the Nets (3-12) led by Brook Lopez’ 26 points.
New Orleans Pelicans 120, Phoenix Suns 114: Anthony Davis had the go-ahead tip-in with 20.6 seconds left to cap a 26-point, 17-rebound effort, and the visiting Pelicans (4-11) rallied from 17 down in the first half to shade the Suns (7-8) for their third straight win despite a game-high 29 points by Brandon Knight.