Well, Jimmy Fallon was right: Philadelphia is not good enough to have the record, they could only tie it. The Sixers snapped their 26-game losing streak with a 123-98 victory Saturday night over Detroit.
The team talked about how Philadelphia will get behind a team or individual when warranted after witnessing the ovation Allen Iverson received to start the month, and tonight they saw it. As the final seconds of the laugher ticked off, the 17,500 in attendance rose and Marc Zumoff exclaimed, “It’s all over, it’s all over!”
They avoid standing alone in the record books with Cleveland, and secured their first victory in exactly two months. In other terms, since before the Super Bowl, Olympics and start of Spring Training.
Leading the way was, who else, the two most reliable members of the team, Michael Carter-Williams and Thaddeus Young. The duo each scored 21 points apiece. Henry Sims added 15, despite being tasked to defend and compete against one of the NBA’s best front courts.
Detroit all but quit the game when Brandon Jennings was ejected late in the first quarter. Philadelphia quickly erupted and had 70 points by halftime, a season high. Greg Monroe led the Pistons with 20 points, adding 10 rebounds.
The lead would peak at 32, and things went so well Brett Brown was able to even pull his starters from the game. The five received the first of a few standing ovations the crowd would give them upon departing with 5:13 left.
Philadelphia gave the faithful group of fans that have visited the Wells Fargo Center to see them play two for the price of one. Not only did they avoid the NBA losing streak, they also stopped one game shy of the NBA record for the home losing streak, ending it at 18. It was their first home victory since Jan. 15 and first overall victory since Jan. 29—a game won by an Evan Turner buzzer-beater.
It’s been a while, but it’s all over.
