NBA roundup: 76ers blow late lead and lose 26th game in a row

Isaiah Thomas scored 30 points, Jae Crowder hit a go-ahead three-pointer and the Boston Celtics rallied to beat visiting Philadelphia 84-80 on Wednesday night, handing the 76ers their 16th straight loss to open the season and record-tying 26th in a row overall.

Philadelphia tied the major U.S. professional sports futility mark set by the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976 to ’77 and matched by the 76ers in 2013-14. They are two losses away from tying the then-New Jersey Nets’ NBA-worst mark of 18 losses to open a season.

Evan Turner added 16 points for Boston, which trailed by five with just under three minutes left. The 76ers scored three points in the final 6:13.

Jahill Okafor led the 76ers with 19 points and nine rebounds. Hollis Thompson scored 15 points.

The 76ers opened an 11-point lead early in the final quarter and held that same advantage after Thompson’s basket in the lane with just over six minutes to play. Boston then scored the next nine points, closing it to 77-75 on Jared Sullinger’s jumper from the left corner with 3:13 left.

After Okafor’s three-point play gave the 76ers an 80-75 lead with just under three minutes left, the Celtics scored the next seven points. Crowder’s three-pointer from the top of the key capped the spree.

at Toronto 103, Cleveland 99: Kyle Lowry scored 27 points and DeMar DeRozan added 20 as the Raptors won their third game in a row. LeBron James had 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Cavaliers (11-4), who lost their third straight road game. Kevin Love added 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Memphis 102, at Houston 93: Jeff Green scored 20 points and Courtney Lee had 10 of his 17 in the fourth quarter as the Grizzlies dropped the struggling Rockets to 1-3 since coach Kevin McHale was fired and replaced by J.B. Bickerstaff. The Grizzlies led for most of the game despite playing without Zach Randolph, who missed his fourth straight game with soreness in his right knee. James Harden had 40 points for the Rockets.

Sacramento 121, at Milwaukee 113: Rudy Gay scored 36 points and the Kings beat the Milwaukee Bucks 121-113 on Wednesday night for their second road victory of the season.

Sacramento scoring and rebounding leader DeMarcus Cousins sat out because of a strained lower back. The Kings had lost all five previous games that Cousins missed this season.

Omri Casspi added 19 and seven rebounds, and Rajon Rondo had 10 points and 13 assists.

Bucks coach Jason Kidd was ejected with 1:49 remaining after he slapped the ball out of a referee’s hand.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton had 21 points apiece for Milwaukee, and John Henson had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

at Minnesota 99, Atlanta 95: Zach LaVine had 18 points, six assists and five rebounds in place of the injured Ricky Rubio, and the Timberwolves swept the season series with the Hawks. Andrew Wiggins scored 15 points on five-for-17 shooting for the Timberwolves, who won their second home game in a row after an 0-6 start at Target Center. Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague each scored 22 points for Atlanta.

at Oklahoma 110, Brooklyn 99: Kevin Durant scored 30 points and Russell Westbrook added 27 points and 13 assists to lead the Thunder. Dion Waiters had 16 points and Serge Ibaka contributed 12 points and eight rebounds in the Thunder’s third straight victory. Brook Lopez scored 26 points for the Nets, who had their three-game winning streak in Oklahoma City ended. The game was tied 10 times and the lead changed hands 14 times before Durant hit two three-pointers and assisted on a third by Waiters to break an 85-85 tie five minutes into the fourth quarter.

at Detroit 104, Miami 81: Andre Drummond had 18 points and 20 rebounds as the Pistons ended a two-game losing streak. Detroit won for the third time in nine games and Miami lost for only the second time in eight. Drummond had his fourth 20-rebound game of the season. Dwight Howard has recorded the only other one in the NBA this season. Reggie Jackson added 18 points and seven rebounds for the Pistons, who had five players in double figures. Gerald Green had 16 points for Miami, and Hassan Whiteside finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Dwyane Wade scored two points on one-for-nine shooting — the fewest points he has ever scored in at least 20 minutes of action.

at Charlotte 101, Washington 87: Jeremy Lamb had 18 points and seven rebounds, Nicolas Batum added 16 points and 11 assists and the Hornets closed with a 25-2 run to hand the Wizards their second straight loss. The Hornets overcame a late nine-point deficit and set a franchise record by holding the Wizards to six points in the fourth quarter. Charlotte ran its home winning streak to seven and has won five of six overall. Kemba Walker, coming off a 39-point game Monday night in Charlotte’s overtime win over Sacramento, added 16 points, and Marvin Williams and Al Jefferson each had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Marcin Gortat led Washington with 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Bradley Beal also had 17 points.

at Orlando 100, New York: 91: Victor Oladipo scored a season-high 24 points and Nikola Vucevic added 22 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Magic. Tobias Harris had 17 points and 10 rebounds as Orlando stopped a two-game losing streak. Elfrid Payton finished with 12 points and 11 assists. Carmelo Anthony had 28 points and 13 rebounds, but the Knicks placed only two players in double figures. Jose Calderon scored 25 points as New York shot just 37.3% from the field.