The reverse Warriors record
While the Golden State Warriors are kicking ass and taking names this season, breaking records left and right, so are the Philadelphia 76ers, but for the wrong reasons.
Philly went into Friday night’s game desperate for the first win this year, taking on the struggling Houston Rockets and finished with a record that they won’t be proud of. They have lost 27 straight, dating back to last season, and now have set the record for longest losing streak in U.S. professional sports history. Only the NFL’s 1966-67 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were worse, up until Friday night.
The Rockets pulled off the 116-114 nail biter at home thanks to James Harden’s 50 points, giving the Sixers their 17th loss to start the season.
The frustration on the court has transferred to off the court, as this week Jahlil Okafor was caught on camera in Boston punching a fan who heckled him in the streets because of Philadelphia’s winless woes. The team will investigate the incident and Okafor responded to the allegations, saying a gun was pointed in his face.
“It was definitely dumb on my part. It’s something that I am embarrassed about. [I’m] still dealing with the league and the team. But I’m not happy about it at all. People are just coming after me, heckling, making fun of me for losing. It’s something that I have known I’m in the spotlight. I know that there are people like that that try to anger you. I’ll never handle it like [I did Thursday morning] again.”
Two more losses will give the Sixers the all-time worst record to start the season, set the by the New Jersey Nets back in 2009-2010.