Noel sits as Sixers end season with loss to Heat

Philadelphia, PA -- Michael Beasley scored a season-high 34 points with 11 rebounds and eight assists as the Miami Heat ended their season with a 105-101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.

Zoran Dragic netted a career-high 22 points, Henry Walker scored 21 and James Ennis finished with 17 points, 12 boards and six assists for the Heat (37-45), who won despite resting the majority of their starters including Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade.

"It's been a tough three weeks," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said. "At least we can leave the last game with integrity and competitive character."

JaKarr Sampson totaled a career-high 22 points, while Robert Covington and Hollis Thompson each had 19 points for the 76ers (18-64), who matched their worst mark since the 1995-96 season.

The 76ers cut into their 18-point halftime deficit with 10 straight points to start the third quarter. They outscored the Heat 25-11 during the frame and netted the final five points of the quarter to get within 75-71 heading into the final stanza.

Thomas Robinson scored four straight points and Jerami Grant gave the Sixers a lead with a dunk with under seven minutes to play. Dragic, however, scored six straight points and the Heat made it a 94-88 game with 4:17 to play.

Grant hit a jumper and following a pair of Covington free throws, Sampson's putback slam of Grant's miss tied the game with 3:05 left.

After Beasley scored six straight points, the Sixers responded with a 7-0 spurt that was capped on Sampson's dunk for a 101-100 lead with 23.7 ticks on the clock.

Walker, however, sealed the win by knocking down a 3 and Tyler Johnson's driving dunk following Covington's miss from beyond the arc accounted for the final score.

"They made a run in the fourth quarter," Robinson said. "We didn't have enough time to come back."

The Heat, who will miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2008 season, scored nine of the final 13 points to lead 29-23 after the opening 12 minutes of play.

Thompson hit back-to-back 3s to tie the game two minutes into the second quarter, but Miami quickly regained its advantage with a 16-6 spurt that contained contributions from beyond the arc from Walker, Dragic and Ennis. Miami continued to pour it on and led 64-46 at halftime.

Notes: Philadelphia lost its final 10 games of the season ... The Sixers outscored the Heat in the paint by a 58-46 margin ... Miami led by as many as 20 points.

Beal, Wizards shut down Sixers

Philadelphia, PA --  Bradley Beal scored 21 points to lead seven Washington players in double figures as the Wizards cruised to a 119-90 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.

The Wizards routed the Sixers without star guard John Wall, who was given the night off. Wall's replacement, Ramon Sessions, totaled 19 points with seven assists.

Marcin Gortat had 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds, six assists and four blocks for
Washington, which shot a franchise-best 65.3 percent in the wire-to-wire victory.

"We got some really good looks because of our ball movement," said Washington coach Randy Wittman.

Kris Humphries and Kevin Seraphin scored 12 points apiece for the Wizards, who have won four straight.

Robert Covington poured in career-high 27 points to pace the Sixers, losers of seven in a row. Nerlens Noel had five points and eight rebounds before leaving in the fourth quarter with a sprained right ankle.

The Wizards raced out to a 16-6 lead in the opening four minutes, prompting Sixers coach Brett Brown to substitute his entire starting five, a move that did little to quell Washington's hot shooting.

"We started the game so poorly. We subbed our first group out quickly, try to find some life," Brown said.

Washington shot 77.8 percent in the first quarter and built a 35-24 lead. Gortat had 12 points in the opening quarter on 6-of-6 shooting.

Philadelphia was able to trim its deficit to eight on a Covington 3-pointer early in the second quarter, but Seraphin hit a jumper and Rasual Butler knocked down a trey to put Washington up 47-34.

The Wizards scored a season-high 70 points in the first half while shooting 72.2 percent and led by 16 at the break.

Washington's advantage grew to 21 at 82-61 before the Sixers went on a 10-0 run. However, the Wizards responded by hitting three consecutive 3-pointers to push their lead back to 20 with four
minutes to go in the third quarter.

Notes: Wall had played in 208 consecutive games ... The Wizards have won six of the last seven meetings ... Paul Pierce and Will Bynum each scored 10 points for Washington ... Jason Richardson supplied 17 points off the bench for Philadelphia.

Sixers run into a Wall in DC

Washington, DC -- Marcin Gortat posted 23 points and 14 rebounds as the Washington Wizards disposed of the Philadelphia 76ers, 106-93.

Bradley Beal added 20 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Wizards, who had lost five of their last six. John Wall was in a giving mood and handed out 15 assists to go along with his 13 points. Gortat and his backup Kevin Seraphin combined to shoot 15-of-16 from the floor.

Ish Smith matched a career high for Philadelphia with 23 points, while Isaiah Canaan and Hollis Thompson contributed 18 and 16, respectively, off the bench.

Nerlens Noel chimed in with 14 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals for the Sixers. The potential Rookie of the Year was coming off 14.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.1 blocks per game in March. He was the first rookie to ever post those numbers in a month.

Washington scored the game's first seven points on two Otto Porter buckets and Gortat's three-point play. It led 31-21 after one and built on that lead as the Sixers missed six straight shots to open the second.

The Wizards ran off 10 straight points, and Drew Gooden canned a 3 after Thomas Robinson's layup ended Philly's drought as they opened a 44-23 lead.

Beal and Gortat scored 14 points apiece, Wall had eight assists and the Wizards shot a robust 29-of-42 (69 percent) from the floor en route to a 65-42 halftime lead.

Despite trailing by as many as 34 points late in the third, the Sixers never stopped battling. A 9-0 run early in the fourth had them within 24. Later, Thompson bookended another 9-0 spurt with 3-pointers to cut it to 100-85.

Out of a timeout, Wall, Beal and Gortat checked back in the game and Washington put it away. Gortat answered Philly's run with a layup, and Wall hit consecutive jumpers with around four minutes to play.

Notes: The Sixers have lost six of seven ... Washington won the rebounding margin, 47-34 ... The Wizards assisted on 33 of 44 field goals. They shot 57.9 percent from the floor, setting a new season high.

Noel can't do it himself as Sixers lose tight one to Kings

Sacramento, CA -- DeMarcus Cousins recorded 33 points, 17 rebounds, four blocks and forced a turnover on the game's final possession to seal the Sacramento Kings' 107-106 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Rudy Gay complemented Cousins with 21 points, and Sacramento held on by the skin of its teeth for its first three-game winning streak since November.

"The energy of the team and the spirit of the team right now since I have been here, this is by far the best," said Kings coach George Karl.

Robert Covington netted a team-high 21 points for the Sixers, who have dropped 16 straight on the road. Thomas Robinson, the fifth overall pick in the 2012 by the Kings, scored a career-high 16 points against his former team, while Nerlens Noel held his own against Cousins with 14 points, 10 boards and six blocked shots.

Covington scored 12 points in a 1:14 span in the middle stages of the fourth quarter, connecting on three 3-pointers and converting a three-point play the old-fashioned way.

His triple with 6:12 remaining broke a 100-100 tie and signified the Sixers' last make from the field. From there, they went 0-for-5 and committed eight of their 21 turnovers.

Two Gay free throws pulled Sacramento even at 105-105 with 1:20 remaining, and on the next Kings possession, Ray McCallum snuck for a putback of a Cousins miss.

After Covington went 1-of-2 at the foul line with 39.5 seconds to go, Noel blocked a Cousins shot and forced him into a rushed fadeaway that drew iron.

Brett Brown called timeout with 8.2 seconds remaining and tried having Thompson play hero.
Cousins, though, stripped the ball near the foul line, and the Kings survived a tight battle.

The Sixers, the lowest scoring team in the NBA this season, exploded for 70 points in the first half -- just 21 below their average coming in. They shot 56.3 percent from the field, made eight 3-pointers and only turned it over four times.

Cousins' double-double in the first half (21-10) helped the Kings keep pace in the up-and-down style of play, but they still trailed 70-63 at the break.

Things slowed down considerably in the third quarter, and a 10-point Philadelphia lead was erased with a 14-0 Kings run. Gay scored the final six points of the surge, and the hosts were in front 87-84 entering the fourth.

Notes: Ish Smith totaled 13 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and seven turnovers for the Sixers, who made 13 3s ... The Kings outscored Philadelphia at the free throw line 30-13 ... Sacramento will start a four-game road trip Wednesday against Phoenix ... Philadelphia, which had won six straight in Sacramento, closes out its three-game trek at Denver on Wednesday.

Sixers still trying to finish strong, beat Kings

Philadelphia, PA -- Robert Covington scored 24 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 114-107 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday.

Nerlens Noel had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Jerami Grant chipped in 13 points for Philadelphia, which has won two of its last three since a four-game losing skid.

DeMarcus Cousins had an outstanding performance in defeat, tying a season high of 39 points with a career-high 24 rebounds, also becoming the first player in the NBA this season to record a 30-point, 20-rebound game. Cousins had 22 points and 15 rebounds in the opening half, but the Kings fell for the fifth time in their last six games.

The last player in the NBA to go for as many as 39 points with 24 rebounds was Chris Webber, also playing with Sacramento, in 2001.

Rudy Gay posted 24 points in the setback and Derrick Williams added 15 off the bench. Sacramento closes out its lengthy eight-game road trip on Saturday at Washington.

The Kings led by as many as 18 in the third, but Philadelphia took an 88-82 lead heading into the fourth thanks to an 18-2 run over the final 4:13 of the quarter.

"The flow of the game was ours in the second quarter, the flow of the game turned midway through the third and we never got it back," Kings coach George Karl said.

The Sixers held Sacramento scoreless for 4:29 bridging the third and fourth quarters as they built a 13-point edge. A quick 6-0 burst for the Kings later on in the fourth cut the deficit to seven, 102-95, with under five minutes left.

Cousins continued to assert himself on the inside, with his layup at 1:15 cutting the Kings' deficit to 106-103.

After a turnover by Andre Miller on a transition drive to the basket, Philadelphia ran a slow developing pick-and-roll with Ish Smith baiting Cousins and Ray McCallum to the basket before lobbing it up to Noel for the slam.

Miller was whistled for a loose ball foul on the ensuing Kings possession and Smith knocked down two free throws to secure the win.

"That first half was as poor a defensive half as we played all year. It is a complete misrepresentation of who we are," said Sixers coach Brett Brown. "To the guys credit they found a way to get back in it in a big way."

Covington had eight points over the first four-plus minutes of the game to help the Sixers grab a 14-12 lead. He totaled 11 in the first quarter and the Sixers led 29-22 entering the second quarter.

Sacramento settled in to start the second as it opened the frame on a 15-4 run for a 37-33 lead. The Kings ended the final three minutes of the half on a 15-4 surge. Cousins knocked down two free throws before Williams canned a 3- pointer to stake Sacramento to a 64-51 lead at halftime.

Notes: Smith, Luc Mbah a Moute, JaKarr Sampson and Hollis Thompson all contributed 10 points in the win ... Smith had a career high-tying nine assists for Philadelphia ... The Sixers scored 27 points off 18 Kings turnovers ... Cousins went 15-of-20 from the foul line ... Philadelphia went 9-of-32 from beyond the arc.

Jazz swing through Philly with a win

Philadelphia, PA -- Gordon Hayward scored 25 points and the Utah Jazz took control in the second half to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 89-83 on Friday.

Derrick Favors added 15 points and 10 rebounds and Rudy Gobert had 15 rebounds and nine points for the Jazz, who bounced back from a last-second loss in Boston on Wednesday to win for the fourth time in their last five games.

"It's hard to win games in the NBA," said Hayward. "This could have been an easy one for us to lay down, but I thought we came out and competed."

Philadelphia center Nerlens Noel filled the stat sheet with 10 points, 11 rebounds and six steals in the opener of a five-game homestand. But the Sixers dropped their fourth game in a row, falling to 1-9 in their last 10.

They blew a 16-point lead and lost 123-118 in overtime to Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday and lost another third-quarter lead in this one.

Hayward and Elijah Millsap scored four points each in an 18-5 run that pulled the Jazz out of a four-point hole and gave them a 64-55 lead going into the fourth quarter.

They stretched the advantage to 14 down the stretch and held off a Sixers push near the end.

"Their defense was very good," said Sixers coach Brett Brown of the difference in the second half.

"We missed a lot of shots that our shooters normally (make)."

An Isaiah Canaan 3-pointer in the final second gave him a team-high 16 points for the Sixers. Luc Mbah a Moute and Ish Smith added 14 points apiece and Thomas Robinson had 11 points and 12 rebounds in just 15 minutes off the bench.

Hayward scored 12 points in the first quarter but the Sixers took a 24-21 lead into the second and led by as many as nine points on the way to a 42-41 edge at halftime.

Notes: Trey Burke scored 10 points off the bench for Utah ... Sixers forward Jerami Grant left the game with back spasms ... Philly was 10-of-32 on 3-pointers ... The Jazz beat the Sixers 88-71 on Dec. 27 at home and have won five in a row in the series since Philadelphia's last victory on Nov. 16, 2012 ... The Sixers host Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta on Saturday ... The Jazz are 2-1 on a four-game road trip that ends Sunday in Brooklyn.

Plucky Sixers overcome by Thunder in OT

Oklahoma City, OK -- The only difference was the mask.

Russell Westbrook scored a career-high 49 points and became the first player since Michael Jordan with four consecutive triple-doubles, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 123-118 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime on Wednesday night.

Westbrook returned after missing the last game with a facial fracture and wore a clear piece of plastic over his face. Neither his vision nor his shot seemed to suffer, though he needed overtime to record another triple-double.

"It was weird. Had to keep wiping it. It was a total big process of trying to keep everything from fogging up. That's not going to stop me," Westbrook said of the mask.

He got his 10th assist on D.J. Augustin's left-corner 3, which came 1:56 into overtime and gave the Thunder the lead for good. Westbrook made two foul shots with 6.3 seconds remaining to pass his previous career high in points set last month.

He became the first player in at least the last 30 years with 49 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in a game. He is the first with four consecutive triple-doubles since Jordan had seven in a row from March 25-April 6, 1989.

The Thunder earned a sixth consecutive win at home and a 12th straight victory over Philadelphia. They are 5-2 with reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant sidelined because of foot soreness.

Dion Waiters added 20 points and 10 rebounds and Augustin scored 17, both off the bench.

Isaiah Canaan made his first five 3-pointers and hit eight of Philly's 15 3s in the game, scoring a career-high 31 points. Jason Richardson had 29 points, Luc Mbah a Moute added 18 points and 14 rebounds and Jerami Grant scored 14 off the bench for the Sixers, who have dropped three in a row and eight of their last nine.

They led by as many as 15 points early in the game and by 16 in the third quarter, but couldn't overcome a slow start in the fourth quarter and another big game from Westbrook.

Philly had eight turnovers in the fourth quarter and was just 6-of-19 in the frame for 20 points, but rallied to tie the score by hitting three 3-pointers in the last two minutes.

"We weren't able to close out the game," said Sixers coach Brett Brown, "but there were a lot of lessons to learn. ... There were a lot of good things to come out of tonight's game.

The Thunder took their largest lead -- surprise -- on consecutive buckets by Westbrook in the fourth quarter, which made it 108-99. He scored, then stole the ball, then scored again in the span of about 20 seconds.

Westbrook missed Sunday's win over the Lakers after having surgery to correct his facial fracture, which occurred Friday against Portland when teammate Andre Roberson kneed him in the face. The injury left Westbrook with a conspicuous dent near his right temple.

He was named Western Conference Player of the Month on Wednesday after joining Oscar Robertson as the only players to average 31 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists in one calendar month while playing at least 10 games.

Notes: Nerlens Noel had 13 rebounds, five blocked shots and eight points for the Sixers, but also five turnovers ... The Thunder beat the Sixers 103-91 on Dec. 5 in Philadelphia and have won 12 consecutive meetings since the last Sixers win in the series on Nov. 15, 2008 ... Westbrook has 13 career triple-doubles ... The Thunder will face the Bulls in Chicago on Thursday ... The Sixers start a five-game homestand on Friday against Utah.

Noel brings winter cheer as Sixers beat Wizards

Philadelphia, PA -- Nerlens Noel scored 14 points and added 13 rebounds and three blocks to help the Philadelphia 76ers top the Washington Wizards, 89-81, on Friday.

With a balanced attack, the Sixers were able to snap their five-game losing streak. Robert Covington scored 13 and Jason Richardson netted 12 with four 3-pointers.

Washington lost its sixth straight and continued its descent down the Eastern Conference standings.
John Wall scored 21 points on 26 field-goal attempts with 11 assists, and Otto Porter contributed 19 points.

"You gotta keep playing. There is frustration out there. No question. We need guys to step up," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said.

The 76ers came out of the half cold, missing their first six shots and allowing the Wizards to turn a five-point halftime deficit into a six-point lead. At 7:17, Richardson's 3 finally ended the drought, and Philadelphia hit three straight shots to get back in a rhythm.

The rest of the third was back and forth. In the final minute, Thomas Robinson's offensive rebound set up a Hollis Thompson 3 that gave the Sixers a 63-61 lead with a quarter to play.

Philadelphia would not trail again.

The Sixers used six free throws in the first two minutes of the fourth to go up eight, but the Wizards fought back. With 4 1/2 minutes to play, Porter hit a triple to cut Washington's deficit to one.

Wall had a chance to put the Wizards back in front on the following possession but missed the mid-range shot. His 19 misses from the floor set a personal season-high.

In the closing minutes, Noel preserved the lead with a pair of dunks and hit 3-of-4 attempts from the free-throw line.

"We wanted to go out and get established on defense," said Noel. "We did a great job tonight holding them to 81 points."

The 76ers got off to a quick start by hitting their first five shots from the floor. Richardson and Isaiah Canaan each hit 3s, and Canaan added a three- point play to jump out to a 13-4 lead and force a Wizards timeout.

After the stoppage, the 76ers' shooting went cold but they still held a 28-25 lead after one.
Ramon Sessions scored the first seven points of the second period to give Washington its first lead of the game. At the other end, the Sixers' shooting remained off until Jerami Grant's triple at 7:40.

With 5 1/2 minutes to play before the half, Covington converted a four- point play that put Philadelphia back in front. The 76ers finished the quarter on a 9-2 run to lead 47-42 at the break.

Notes: Philadelphia ended a four-game losing streak against Washington ... The Sixers made 10-plus 3-pointers for the fourth game in a row ... The Wizards entered the game 12-0 when allowing fewer than 90 points ... Wizards forward Paul Pierce missed his second straight game with a knee injury.

New-look Sixers, same old story

Philadelphia, PA -- Rodney Stuckey deposited a season-high 30 points as the Indiana Pacers opened the second half of the season with a 106-95 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.

C.J. Miles posted 17 points and Luis Scola added 16 off the bench for the Pacers, who have won two straight and five of their last six.

The Sixers' apparently-ongoing rebuild continued on Thursday at the trade deadline when general manager Sam Hinkie made a bold move, sending last season's rookie of the year, Michael Carter-Williams, to Milwaukee in a three-team deal that returned a first-round pick to Philadelphia.

The Sixers also dealt rookie K.J. McDaniels to Houston for Isaiah Canaan and a draft pick, while center JaVale McGee, a protected 2015 first-round pick and the rights for Chukwudiebere Maduabum were acquired in a deal with Denver.

Luc Mbah a Moute and Jerami Grant paced the new-look Sixers with 16 points, while Nerlens Noel had a solid performance with 12 points, nine rebounds and a career-high nine blocks. Mbah Moute grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Jason Richardson also made his return for the first time in two years while battling knee issues, totaling seven points and seven rebounds.

Tim Frazier, who just signed his second 10-day contract with Philadelphia and started in place of Carter-Williams, finished with 13 points and seven assists.

"You felt at times naked on the sideline," Sixers coach Brett Brown said of the new point guards in the mix. "I see that we can move this group forward. It's up to me to move this group forward."

Stuckey's 3-pointer gave the Pacers a 23-16 edge at the end of the first quarter and they turned it up in the second for a double-digit lead.

Grant opened the second with a trey for the hosts, but Indiana responded with a 14-3 run. Stuckey scored the final seven points of the spurt to help the Pacers stretch their advantage to 37-22. Indiana
led 58-40 at halftime.

"I think the game really changed when our second unit got in and started picking up the defensive pressure," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said.

Stuckey went on a personal 10-0 run late in the third to make it a 24-point game and help the Pacers to an 87-68 lead after three quarters.

Notes: Noel tied the Wells Fargo Center record for blocks in a game and quarter with five in the first ... McGee had two points in his team debut ... Sixers guard Jason Richardson made his first appearance since Jan. 18, 2013. He scored seven points with seven rebounds ... Stuckey left the game in the second half with an apparent ankle injury ... Indiana won its season-high fourth straight game on the road ... David West and Roy Hibbert each had eight points and seven rebounds in the win ... The Pacers, who have taken two of the three meetings in this series, will wrap it up against the Sixers in Indiana on March 1.

Sixers snag McGee from Nuggets

From a Nuggets team release: the club has traded center JaVale McGee to the Philadelphia 76ers.

 The Nuggets will also send a protected 2015 first-round pick, via Oklahoma City, and the rights to Chukwudiebere Maduabum to Philadelphia in exchange for the rights to Cenk Akyol.

McGee had appeared in just 17 games for the Nuggets this season and was averaging 5.2 points and 2.8 rebounds. He played only five games in 2013-14 because of a stress fracture in his left tibia.

The Nevada product signed a multi-year deal with Denver in July 2012 after being acquired by the Nuggets from Washington a few months earlier. He is owed $12 million for next year and owns career averages of 8.5 points and 5.6 rebounds in 376 games.

Maduabum was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 56th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft before his rights were traded to Denver in a draft-night deal. He most recently appeared in four games for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League.

Akyol, a 27-year-old guard from Turkey, was originally selected by Atlanta with the 59th overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft. He plays for Galatasaray of the Turkish Basketball League and has averaged 6.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game this season.

Sixers lose to Warriors but make better showing

Philadelphia, PA -- Stephen Curry had 20 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals in the Golden State Warriors' 89-84 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

Leandro Barbosa added 16 points and six boards for the Warriors, who were held under 100 points for the first time since a 100-86 loss at the Clippers on Dec. 25.

Former Sixers Andre Iguodala and Marreese Speights tallied 13 and 10 points, respectively, for Golden State, which has won five of six. The usually hot-shooting Klay Thompson was limited to 13 points.

The Warriors (41-9) are 32 games above .500 for the first time since ending the 1975-76 season with
a 59-23 mark (36 games).

Robert Covington ended with 21 points, eight rebounds and three steals for the Sixers, who had a four-game home winning streak snapped. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute contributed 13 points and nine boards.

"I'm so proud of our guy's defensive improvement, their attention to defense, they take pride in it and know that it is our identity," said Sixers coach Brett Brown.

Trailing 28-20 early in the second quarter, the Warriors scored eight straight points to tie things up. They led 46-44 at the half.

Golden State started the third stanza on a 9-2 spurt to make it 55-46. However, the pesky Sixers hung around and got within four late in the frame. But Draymond Green's jumper gave the Warriors a 67-61 lead heading to the fourth.

The visitors created some distance with a 14-2 run to start the final quarter. Barbosa and Speights each tallied six points during the surge to make it an 81-63 contest.

Philadelphia answered with 12 straight points to get within 81-75. They got as close as four in the final minutes, but ran out of time.

"We did enough to get the win and that's the most important part," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

Notes: Golden State had scored 100 or more points in 21 consecutive games ... Nerlens Noel had 11 points and Tim Frazier and JaKarr Sampson each scored 10 points for the Sixers ... The 76ers turned the ball over 27 times, leading to 35 Golden State points ... Philadelphia guard Michael Carter-Williams (toe) missed his third straight game ... Green left the game late in the fourth quarter with a sprained right ankle.

Sixers getting used to this winning deal, top Nuggets

Philadelphia, PA --  Now that the question of whether or not this year's club could challenge their own NBA record for fewest wins in a season, Brett Brown's team figures they might as well keep winning for the time being.

Hollis Thompson hit four shots from long distance and finished with 23 points as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Denver Nuggets 105-98 on Tuesday night in South Philadelphia.

Michael Carter-Williams posted 15 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds and Robert Covington added 17 points and eight boards for the Sixers, who have won three of their last five games on the heels of a six-game slide.

Danilo Gallinari netted 22 points off the bench, Wilson Chandler poured in 19 points and Ty Lawson dished out 14 helpers for Denver, which has dropped 10 of its last 11 games.

The game was tied 27-27 late in the first quarter before the Sixers embarked on an extended 17-3 run that bled into the second to seize control.

Thompson, who netted 11 points during the surge, nailed a 3-pointer in the waning moments of the opening frame to help stake Philadelphia to a 34-28 advantage following a quarter of play.

He knocked down a trio of triples in all during the burst, including one to cap it for a 44-30 margin with 9:28 left in the second.

The Sixers stretched that cushion to 61-40 heading into the break and were up 85-68 after three quarters.
Denver cut the deficit to six in the final minute with the game already decided.

Notes: The Sixers have won their last three home games ... Denver has lost 11 of its last 14 games against the East, including all seven road contests ... Faried was 0-of-6 from the field and didn't score a point for the Nuggets ... Philadelphia led by as many as 28 points in the third quarter.

Sixers beat Pistons, won't challenge own NBA record

Philadelphia, PA -- Robert Covington made four 3-pointers en route to 19 points for the Philadelphia 76ers, who snapped a six-game losing streak with an 89-69 win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday and managed to officially avoid a dubious part of their history.

With their ninth victory of the season, Philly equaled the win total which stands as the fewest in NBA history at nine, set during their still-standing worst record of 9-73 in 1972-73. Since there are 36 games remaining in the current season, the 76ers will apparently not come close to challenging that benchmark for futility.

Michael Carter-Williams returned from a one-game absence to finish with 14 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for the Sixers, who improved to 4-18 at home this season.

JaKarr Sampson added 13 points and eight boards for Philadelphia. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute tallied 12 points and Henry Sims and K.J. McDaniels each scored 10 points.

"We're getting better," said Sixers coach Brett Brown. "We try to teach these young guys to never take their foot off the pedal. We have no right to be complacent at any point, so we try to wind these guys up all day, every play, every day."

Greg Monroe ended with 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons, who have lost four in a row. Jodie Meeks had 19 points on 4-of-16 shooting against his former team.

Holding a 6-4 lead, the Sixers went on a 22-4 run to take control. The Pistons missed 12 straight shots during the stretch that resulted in a 28-8 margin.

"Obviously, it was very difficult. We weren't ready to play. I don't think I've ever coached a game where one team's effort was that much better than my team's effort," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said of his team's start.

Detroit responded with the final eight points of the first quarter to get within 12. The Pistons then outscored Philadelphia by a 21-20 margin in the second to make it 48-37 at the half.

But the Sixers led by at least nine throughout the second half.

Notes: Carter-Williams missed Monday's loss to the Pelicans with an illness ... The Pistons have dropped four straight on the road ... Philadelphia shot 47.4 percent from the field, while holding Detroit to 30.7 percent ... Jonas Jerebko had 10 points for the Pistons, who went 2-of-20 from beyond the arc.

Wizards practice for better competition by routing Sixers

Washington, DC -- Marcin Gortat had 20 points to lead seven Washington Wizards who scored in double figures during a 111-76 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

The Wizards led the Martin Luther King Jr. Day game for the final 42 minutes and were ahead by double digits over the last 38 1/2.

Kevin Seraphin scored 14 points off the bench and John Wall had 11 points and 10 assists for the Wizards, who have won seven of their last nine. Nene added 12 points while Paul Pierce, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter each scored 10.

The Wizards shot better than 55 percent from the field, making half of their 14 3-pointers. They outrebounded the Sixers 53-30.

Henry Sims led Philadelphia with 13 points. Jerami Grant scored 12 and Nerlens Noel had 11 with seven rebounds, three assists and four steals, but Michael Carter-Williams shot just 2-for-13 for seven points.
The Sixers have lost four of their last five on the heels of a 3-1 stretch.

Philadelphia coach Brett Brown called the game "a clunker" but said the Wizards deserve credit for making his team look so bad.

The Sixers shot under 33 percent overall and threw up 24 3-pointers, making just six, and their 35-point margin of defeat was the worst ever on the road against the franchise that began life as the Chicago Packers.

The Capitol Bullets recorded a 108-75 win over a weak Philly club on Feb. 9, 1974.

"There were times when you looked out on the floor and you saw a bunch of men. Big, physical, playoff-hardened men," Brown said of the Wizards. "They are strong at each position and physical at each position and there are times when you look out and realize the difference in maturity."

Brown said he can't tell when the Sixers, who have 25 double-digit losses this season, are going to play poorly.

"I live in a naive world," he said. "I really think we're going to steal wins every time we play. (Our players) allow me to think that because they have spirited practices ... (but) sometimes you have one of those games. I think you have to give (the Wizards) credit when you look at how bad we were. I think they forced that."

Philadelphia's last lead was 8-7 on a Noel tip-in with 6:48 remaining in the first quarter. Washington followed with a 20-3 run and led by double digits the rest of the way.

Notes: The Wizards have won four in a row against the Sixers ... It was the first of four meetings scheduled between the teams this season ... Washington hosts Oklahoma City on Wednesday ... Philadelphia hosts New York on Wednesday.

Feared Deer take another one from Sixers

Philadelphia, PA --For all their "effort" this season, the Sixers should be receiving bouquets of flowers or some sort of electronics on the regular from the New York Knicks, whom Philly largely kept from slipping into the ranks of the absolute worst of the NBA.

That is, until now. Both teams are losing at prodigious rates, but the Sixers have four games in hand on the last-place Knickerbockers. It looks like one of the most interesting races in the league will be who will finish with the worst record in the Eastern Division.

Khris Middleton and Brandon Knight each scored 18 points as the Milwaukee Bucks demolished the 76ers, 97-77, on Wednesday night in South Philadelphia, in a game that nobody would ever think to confuse with the two franchises' regular-season and playoff battles through the mid-1980s.

Middleton also had five steals for the Bucks, who have won four straight against Philly. O.J. Mayo and Jerryd Bayless added 15 and 12 points, respectively, while Zaza Pachulia contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds.

K.J. McDaniels ended with 14 points for the Sixers, who beat the short-handed Cavaliers on Monday for their first home victory of the season. Nerlens Noel and Tony Wroten had 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Ahead 10-9, the Bucks ended the first frame on a 17-2 run to make it a 27-11 game. Milwaukee shot 57.1 percent from the field over the first 12 minutes, while holding Philadelphia to 20.8 percent.

The score was 40-24 after each team went on an 11-2 spurt to start the second. The Bucks eventually took a 53-39 lead into the locker room.

Milwaukee put the game out of reach with a 13-2 run to start the third quarter. Johnny O'Bryant III rallied the final four points of the surge to make it 66-41.

The Bucks led by as many as 25 in the third and took a 77-60 edge into the fourth.

Notes: JaKarr Sampson had 11 points and seven rebounds for the Sixers, who shot 30.1 percent from the field and went 2-of-25 from beyond the arc ... Philadelphia forward Luc Mbah a Moute sat out his second straight game with turf toe ... The Los Angeles Clippers traded guard Jared Cunningham, the draft rights to Cenk Akyol and cash considerations to the Sixers in exchange for the draft rights to Serhiy Lishchuk.

Sixers stumble to start holiday road swing

Portland, OR -- Damian Lillard scored 28 points with nine assists, Wesley Matthews tallied 25 points and the Portland Trail Blazers cruised past the Philadelphia 76ers, 114-93, on Friday.

Lillard and Matthews connected on 10 of the Blazers' season-high 18 3- pointers, with Matthews converting 7-of-14 tries from deep.

Already playing without center Robin Lopez, LaMarcus Aldridge (upper respiratory illness) and Chris Kaman (child's birth) were both out of the lineup as well. In stepped Joel Freeland, who scored six points and pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds in Portland's fifth straight win at home.

"He came in and he played comfortable," Lillard said of Freeland. "He rebounded really well. We knew we were short-handed. We knew that it was going to be a different type of game. I thought we went out there and did what we needed to do."

Tony Wroten scored 22 points for the Sixers, who had a season-high two-game winning streak snapped. Michael Carter-Williams added 17 points with six rebounds and five assists.

"When you give up what we did from (3-point range) coupled with what we shot from the line... that team can score. That team can score," said Sixers coach Brett Brown.

Philadelphia, which opened up the Western portion of this road trip which takes it to Utah, Oakland, Phoenix and Los Angeles, made just 18 of its 33 attempts from the free throw line.

Philadelphia led in the early going before Portland got settled and went on a 13-2 run that Meyers Leonard capped with a dunk for a 19-12 lead. The Sixers trimmed the deficit to one following a Wroten 3-pointer, then Matthews netted a jumper to give the hosts a 27-24 lead after 12 minutes.

C.J. McCollum's 3-pointer started a 14-4 run midway through the second quarter that gave the Blazers a 52-37 lead.

Philadelphia used a 12-2 run later in the frame to close the gap to six, but Lillard's free throw and Dorell Wright's three stretched the margin to 61-51 at the half.

Matthews hit back-to-back treys as part of an 8-0 burst following a Carter- Williams free throw as Portland made it a 69-52 game early in the third.

The Blazers led 88-74 entering the fourth and led by as many as 23 in the final period.

Notes: The Trail Blazers set a franchise record with at least 15 3-pointers made in back-to-back games ... Portland shot 42-of-88 from the floor, including 18- of-43 from beyond the arc... Nicolas Batum added 14 points in the win ... Philadelphia held a 64-32 edge in the paint ... The Sixers have dropped four of their last five games in Portland. 

Sixers use strong fourth quarter to steal Magic from Orlando

Thanks to CBS3

Orlando, FL -- Behind 21 points and six assists from Michael Carter-Williams, the Philadelphia 76ers started a seven-game road trip with a 96-88 win over the Orlando Magic.

Five players reached double figures for Philadelphia as it ended a five-game losing streak. Nerlens Noel posted 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Henry Sims and Robert Covington joined Noel by posting double-doubles as well. Sims had 12 points and 12 boards, with Covington recording 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Victor Oladipo led all scorers with 23 points for the Magic, who have lost four straight and six of their last seven.

Despite getting 19 points and 17 rebounds from Nikola Vucevic, Orlando was outrebounded by Philadelphia 52-43.

Orlando extended its lead to as much as 11 in the third quarter but it would last just one possession. After a 76ers timeout, JaKarr Sampson hit a 3 that started a 7-0 burst to make their deficit a more manageable four points.

The Sixers scored the last eight points of the period to lead 64-60 after three.

That run continued into the fourth quarter and after seven straight points in the first 2 1/2 minutes, Philadelphia led by 11. Sims capped the 15-0 run with a layup and emphatic slam dunk.

Evan Fournier scored four straight points to cut Orlando's deficit down to seven points, but Carter-Williams wrapped up a 6-0 run with a 3-pointer to extend the Sixers lead to a game-high 14 points.
Philadelphia did not make a shot from the floor in the final 3 1/2 minutes of the game, but it held Orlando off to come away with the victory.

Neither team led by more than five points in a back-and-forth first quarter. A late 8-0 run with four points from both Covington and Sims helped give the Sixers a 23-20 lead after 12 minutes.

A 9-0 Magic run halfway through the second period gave them a lead they would only briefly relinquish in the second period. Kyle O'Quinn's triple started the spurt and he ended it with a layup after grabbing an offensive board.

Tobias Harris scored the final five points of the quarter to give Orlando a 42-37 lead at the break.

Notes: Vucevic has 100 career double-doubles ... The 76ers have committed 17 or more turnovers in nine  straight games ... Philadelphia snapped a six-game losing streak at Orlando ... The three-game season series between these teams concludes on Feb. 22 in Orlando ... Philadelphia heads south to Miami to continue its trip Tuesday while the Magic host Boston.

Saric wins Euroleague MVP for November

It's two days old but bears a mention.

Sixers' 2014 draftee Dario Saric has been awarded the Euroleague MVP award for the month of November.

Taking the reins for Anadolu Efes after the club lost center Nenad Krstic to a broken arm one month earlier, the 20-year-old Croatian has done more than as expected.

The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 15.5 points on 56.1% to go along with 7.8 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game en route to a 3-1 record in four Euroleague contests.

He averaged the most rebounds and third-most points of any player on a Euroleague team with three or more victories last month.

At 20 years and 7 months old, Saric became the youngest Euroleague MVP of the Month recipient. The previous youngest was Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic, who won the award in December of 2011, when he was 20 years and 10 months old.

14 and counting as Sixers fall to Portland

Philadelphia, PA -- LaMarcus Aldridge had 33 points and 11 rebounds to help the red-hot Portland Trail Blazers beat the winless Philadelphia 76ers 114-104 on Monday.

Wesley Matthews added 17 points for the Blazers, who have won eight in a row. Damian Lillard tallied 16 points.

Michael Carter-Williams ended with 24 points and seven rebounds for the Sixers (0-14). Henry Sims and Tony Wroten had 22 and 20 points, respectively.

"Nobody is rolling over or pointing fingers," 76ers coach Brett Brown said despite his team being just four defeats away from the New Jersey Nets' NBA record for losses to start a given season. "This locker room is great." 

Each of Philly's next four games -- home against Brooklyn on Wednesday, home against Dallas on Saturday, welcoming San Antonio next Monday and at Minnesota next Wednesday are all winnable and losable at the same time. 

The Sixers led 52-50 following a first half that featured seven lead changes and 13 ties.

Trailing 62-59 with nine minutes left in the third quarter, the Blazers went on a 21-6 run. Aldridge tallied eight points during the surge that Nicolas Batum capped with a slam for an 80-68 lead.

Aldridge and Lillard scored 15 and 10 points, respectively, in the third to help Portland grab an 89-80 advantage. The Blazers outscored Philadelphia by a 39-28 margin in the period.

The Sixers used a 9-0 run to get within 100-93 with 4:22 to play. However, Portland responded with a 7-2 spurt to put the game away.

"That was a tough game, both teams kind of got off to a slow start," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "I think you really have to give credit to Philly for the way they got after us defensively... We did much better, obviously, at both end of the court in the second half."

Notes: Portland is 9-1 when scoring 100-plus points and 6-0 against Eastern Conference opponents ... It is the worst start for the Sixers since they opened the 1972-73 campaign 0-15 ... Robin Lopez had 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks for the Blazers ... Nerlens Noel tallied 12 points, three steals and two blocks for the 76ers.

Celtics latest club to send Sixers spiraling

Philadelphia,  PA -- Brett Brown's club, which entered play losing by an average of 16.9 points per game, are now just four  losses  from matching the infamous NBA record-setting 1972-73 team for the worst start in franchise history.

Brandon Bass  and  Jared  Sullinger combined  for  55 points,  Rajon Rondo  had 13 assists  and the Boston Celtics pulled  away for a 101-90 win Wednesday night that kept the Philadelphia 76ers winless.

Bass scored 23 off the bench, Sullinger added 22 with nine rebounds and Marcus Thornton  had 13  points  for the  Celtics, who  snapped  a three-game  losing streak.

Tony  Wroten scored  21 points off the  bench to lead the Sixers, who returned home from an 0-4 road trip and fell to 0-11 on the season.  Henry  Sims added 14  points in the loss, Luc Mbah a Moute and Michael Carter-Williams scored 11 apiece and Nerlens Noel had 10.

The Sixers won three of the four meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals last  season and  were in line to make  a run at their first win before Boston pulled away in the second half.

The  Celtics outshot the  Sixers 52.5 percent to 37.5 percent in the third and fourth quarters after the score was tied 46-46 at halftime.

Rondo  had  six assists in  the third quarter,  including an alley-oop to Jeff Green for a dunk during a 9-0 Celtics run that turned a two-point deficit into a seven-point lead.

Avery  Bradley capped the  spurt with a 3-pointer and Boston led by as many as eight before Wroten's 3 pulled the Sixers within 73-68 going into the fourth. Carter-Williams,  making his  first start of the season, scored seven straight Philadelphia  points after  Boston built an 11-point lead early in the fourth,
but the Sixers never got closer than five in the last 12 minutes.

Sullinger's 3 and another alley-oop dunk by Green extended Boston's lead to 15 with 1:33 left.

Mbah  a Moute's 3  sparked a 9-0 run in the first quarter that gave the Sixers an  eight-point lead. They  went up by nine in the second, but Thornton scored five points during a 15-4 Celtics flurry that gave the visitors the lead.

Notes: The  Celtics will  go from playing the worst  team in the NBA to the best when they  face  the league-leading Grizzlies  in Memphis  on Friday ... The Sixers remain  in  Philadelphia to face  Phoenix on Friday  ... Bass came within four points  of tying  his career high of  27 set Dec. 3, 2010, for Orlando against
Detroit.  Four Magic  players missed  that game  because of  a stomach  virus, including Dwight Howard.