(SportsNetwork.com) - The Philadelphia 76ers have lost 20 straight and the task of trying to end that franchise record won't get any easier Monday night when they visit Bankers Life Fieldhouse to meet the Indiana Pacers.
The Sixers' losing streak reached 20 games on Saturday in a home loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. That matches the franchise record originally set by the historically bad, 9-73 team from the 1972-73 season.
The NBA record for most losses in a row is 26, set by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010-11.
"We win together and we lose together. Our coaching staff bleeds together with them," Philadelphia head coach Brett Brown said.
The Sixers fell to the Grizz, 103-77.
Michael Carter-Williams tallied 23 points and eight rebounds, while Thaddeus Young registered 20 points, seven boards and six steals for the Sixers. Tony Wroten was the only other Philly player in double figures with 13.
The Sixers fell to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night and haven't won since Jan. 29 in Boston. Philadelphia has dropped eight straight as the visitor.
The Pacers sandwiched the win against the Sixers with victories over the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. This recent winning streak came on the heels of a four-game slide.
On Saturday, Paul George scored 30 points and helped lead a monumental comeback for the Pacers, who outdueled the Pistons down the stretch to rally for a 112-104 overtime victory at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
The Pacers trailed by as many as 25 points in the first half and were down 60-41 at halftime, but caught fire in the third quarter and later dominated the extra period to earn their seventh win in eight meetings with the Pistons.
George deposited 20 of his points over the final two quarters and overtime, while finishing with eight rebounds and seven assists.
"He's done that all year," Pacers head coach Frank Vogel said of George. "He's just found certain times to go on individual runs, where they call being in the zone, right? The basket's big and everything's going in for him and he's being assertive. A big reason why we got back in the game."
Evan Turner, who will face his former team again on Monday, aided the comeback with 20 points off the bench, with David West netting six of his 15 points in OT to help Indiana prevail.
Andrew Bynum, another former 76er, scored 15 points off the bench, while Lance Stephenson added 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Roy Hibbert chipped in 12.
Including Friday's victory, the Pacers have taken two in a row against the Sixers and six of the last nine. The teams split the last six meetings in Indianapolis.
[SportsNetwork.com]
