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.
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