76ers end 26-game losing streak, dodge ignominy

Desperate to see a victory, Philadelphia fans wouldn’t wait for the end, standing to cheer as time was running out in the third quarter.

By then it was clear: The 76ers were going to win for the first time in two months, and they were going to do it with ease.

The 76ers snapped their NBA record-tying, 26-game losing streak, routing the Detroit Pistons 123-98 on Saturday night to avoid establishing the longest skid in U.S. major pro sports history.

“It’s not something I want to be a part of,’’ said 76ers guard Michael Carter-Williams, “so it’s great that we got this win.’’

Carter-Williams and Thaddeus Young each scored 21 points for the 76ers, who won for the first time since beating Boston exactly two months ago and did it impressively, leading by as much as 32 points. They also ended an 18-game home losing streak, which was one shy of another NBA record.

Beaten badly a number of times during their skid, the 76ers got to experience life on the other side, ringing up a season-high 70 points in the first half.

Their 26 straight losses equaled the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who dropped 26 straight from Sept. 12, 1976-Dec. 4, 1977.

“We were just happy to get a win,’’ Young said. “I don’t think it was for the streak or anything like that, we just wanted to go out there and win a basketball game and continue to just play.’’

Henry Sims added 16 points for the Sixers, who hadn’t won before their home crowd since beating Charlotte on Jan. 15. Fans in the crowd of 17,438 were into it from the start and grew louder throughout, standing and cheering in the final seconds of the third and then getting up again to deliver a standing ovation for the final 45 seconds of the game.

AP