Celtics extend Sixers’ losing streak

With an average age of 23.3, the Sixers are the youngest team in the National Basketball Association, and none of the nine players who saw action Wednesday night in Boston is more than 24 years old or has more than three years of experience as an National Basketball Association player.

Philadelphia tied the major USA professional sports futility mark set by the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976-77 and matched by the 76ers in 2013-14.

Tobias Harris had 17 points and 10 rebounds to help Orlando stop a two-game losing streak. The current Sixers have opened this season with 16 straight setbacks. Oh, they pleaded and encouraged and shouted their club to a 9-0 run that closed out last night’s game and a questionably deserved 84-80 victory over the 76ers. They are two losses away from tying the then-New Jersey Nets’ NBA-worst mark of 18 losses to open a season. Or the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

“I don’t even care”, coach Brett Brown said of the record. “It’s not like they are sitting around doing nothing”.

There are numerous teams around the league that have not had their season play out the way they had planned.

Turner pointed out that the Sixers are trying to develop talent while the losses mount.

TMZ obtained a video of the reported scuffle, and Okafor can be heard yelling, “We got money you broke a** n****”. I think [T.J.] McConnell is finding his way. The Celtics have a lot of players that are vastly under performing and they are going to need a lot more than one player stepping up offensively to win games in the future. “It’s just tough in general”.

The Celtics finally found their defensive form when they shut out the 76ers with under 3 minutes left but they did absolutely nothing to suggest they have moved past their slump that began with a loss to the Nets. Over that span, they forced six turnovers and limited Philadelphia to 1-for-8 shooting.

With less than four minutes remaining, the Sixers had a 77-70 lead, only to see everything go south. They were still up by three points with just over a minute left, but back-to-back turnovers led to a bucket by Boston point guard Isaiah Thomas and a Jae Crowder three-pointer to seal the Celtics’ comeback. If Okafor was indeed frustrated by ridicule over the Sixers’ record, his reaction lends credence to the idea that the franchise’s plan to withstand several losing seasons for the sake of acquiring high draft picks and rebuilding their roster may be having a corrosive effect on its players.

Jahlil Okafor’s three-point play with under three to go put Philly ahead 80-75, except those would be the final points on the night for the Sixers.

Phil Pressey back-rimmed a jumper in the lane and Thomas, the former UW standout, grabbed the rebound with 2.1 seconds left.

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.