NBA round-up: 76ers avoid record-setting losing streak

The Philadelphia 76ers avoided a record-setting 27th straight NBA loss with a dominating 123-98 home victory over the struggling Detroit Pistons on Saturday.

Thaddeus Young finished with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists for the 76ers, who came into the contest having lost 18 straight at home and 26 overall, equaling the longest losing streak in league history.

“I am happy for the players and I am happy for the fans,” said Sixers coach Brett Brown. “I am real happy for the players.”

The Cleveland Cavaliers set the NBA record with 26 straight losses in 2010-11.

The Sixers’ 26 losses also matched the record for the longest losing skid of any major North American professional sports team.

The NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost 26 straight contests from September 12, 1976 to December 4, 1977.

“Just happy to get a win,” said Young, Philadelphia’s first since they beat the Boston Celtics on January 29. “I don’t think we were thinking about the streak. We just wanted to go out there and win a basketball game.”

Michael Carter-Williams helped pace the attack in front of the crowd of 17,438 by scoring 21 points for the 76ers, who shot 52 percent from the field. Philadelphia also ended their franchise-record 18-game losing home streak at the Wells Fargo Center arena.

Carter-Williams said the key was sharing the ball.

“We tried to concentrate on every single possession,” said Carter-Williams, who also had seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. “Play smart and just do the right things and use each other.

“We came out with fire.”

Henry Sims tallied 16 points with seven rebounds and Hollis Thompson scored 14 points on four-of-four shooting from beyond the arc in the win.

The Sixers management has been insisting all along they are in a rebuilding mode.

At the trade deadline they dumped players by sending Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes and Lavoy Allen packing.

Some Philadelphia fans have accused them of deliberately losing matches this season in order to get a prime pick in the entry draft.

“We chose a path and some may agree with it and some may not. We are not claiming it to be the correct way to do it. We don’t want to blink,” Brown said.

Brown said he is relieved that the team didn’t set the record for futility.

“It is a good thing the stigma is not attached to their names,” he said.

Greg Monroe finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, who have lost 18 of their last 22 games.

Rodney Stuckey had 17 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 16 in the loss.

CLIPPERS 118, ROCKETS 107

HOUSTON // Chris Paul had 30 points and 12 assists, Jamal Crawford added 22 points as Los Angeles clinched its franchise-record third straight playoff appearance by stopping Houston’s five game winning streak.

Houston was without injured starters Dwight Howard and Pat Beverley.

It wasn’t all good for Los Angeles. Blake Griffin left in the first quarter with back spasms and didn’t return. James Harden led the Rockets with 32 points, and Chandler Parsons had 28.

SPURS 96, PELICANS 80

SAN ANTONIO // Marco Belinelli scored 18 points and San Antonio never trailed after its opening possession to extend its winning streak to 17 games with the win over New Orleans.

Kawhi Leonard and Manu Ginobili scored 15 points each, Patty Mills added 13 and Tim Duncan had 12 points and eight rebounds.

San Antonio (57-16) extended its lead to 3 games over Oklahoma City (53-19) for the league’s best record.

WIZARDS 101, HAWKS 97

WASHINGTON // John Wall scored 25 points, Drew Gooden had 16 as Washington inched closer to its first playoff spot since 2008 with a win over free-falling Atlanta.

Washington entered the game needing a win and a loss by the New York Knicks on Sunday to make the playoffs.

Wall scored 13 points in the last 7:16 of the third quarter and the Wizards finally escaped the pesky Hawks, who have lost six straight and 20 of 26.

MAVERICKS 103, KINGS 100

DALLAS // Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 points and Dallas avoided a potentially serious blow to its playoff hopes by rallying in the fourth quarter to beat Sacramento.

The Mavericks blew a 17-point lead and trailed by five in the fourth quarter before recovering for their 20th straight regular-season win at home against Sacramento, the longest against any opponent in franchise history.

HEAT 88, BUCKS 67

MILWAUKEE // Chris Bosh scored 14 points, LeBron James had 13 as short-handed Miami wrapped up its three-game trip through the Midwest with a victory over Milwaukee.

James Jones added 10 for Miami in place of star guard Dwyane Wade, sidelined a second straight game with a sore hamstring. The Heat also played without Ray Allen and Mario Chalmers.

It didn’t matter against the team with the NBA’s worst record. John Henson had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Milwaukee.

sports@thenational.ae

Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE