Harden scores 50 as Rockets beat winless 76ers 116-114

I don’t know what the opposite of a moral victory would be called, but it happened Friday night for the Houston Rockets in their 116-114 victory at home over the still-winless 0-17 Philadelphia 76ers.

The team has started the season 0-17, notching their 17th consecutive loss to the Houston Rockets on Friday, and tying the second-longest losing streak to start a season in National Basketball Association history. But in threatening and breaking records for pro-sports futility, at least the 76ers have varied the way they have lost.

Robert Covington had a terrific night for the Sixers in posting 28 points (6-for-9 from 3), eight steals, seven rebounds and five assists. He is averaging 36.2 points in his last five games.

While the Buccaneers’ streak came at the start of their existence, the 76ers are a storied franchise with three championships to their name and a list of famous players including Charles Barkley, Moses Malone and Julius Irving.

CURRY GOES FOR 41 AS WARRIORS MOVE TO 18-0: Stephen Curry scored 41 points in three quarters as the Golden State Warriors beat Phoenix 135-116, extending their NBA-record start to 18-0. To refresh your mind, the last time Philadelphia won a game was 248 days ago, with it being a March 25 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Thunder 103, Pistons 87: Kevin Durant had 34 points and 13 rebounds to help Oklahoma City beat Detroit for its fourth straight win. 76ers coach Brett Brown pledged to handle the nightclub incident involving rookie C Jahlil Okafor with “discipline and tough love” after reports that Okafor physically confronted a jeering fan in Boston.

Down by two with less than 3 seconds remaining, Covington intentionally missed a free throw that was rebounded by Houston’s Dwight Howard.

“He’s got to be aggressive and he’s got to take what’s there, but we can’t count on him to score 50 points every night and win”. The duo responded with double-doubles of 13 points and 10 rebounds and 14 points and 13 rebounds, respectively. He made nine of 16 three-point attempts and has made a three in 90 straight regular-season games.

The Cavaliers trailed by seven points in the fourth quarter but took the lead for good with a 14-4 run midway through the quarter. Last season, the Rockets made a visit to the Western Conference finals. Jerami Grant added 18 points and Okafor 11.