Joel Embiid scores 35 as the 76ers deal Pistons a franchise-record 22nd straight loss
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 15: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers gets a rebound past Isaiah Stewart #28 of the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on December 15, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. N ((Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images))
PHILADELPHIA - Joel Embiid scored 35 points and Tyrese Maxey added 19 as the Philadelphia 76ers dealt the Detroit Pistons their franchise-record 22nd straight loss 124-92 on Friday night in the second game of a home-and-home series.
The Pistons, who lost to Philly 129-111 on Wednesday night in Detroit, eclipsed the franchise mark set at the end of the 1979-80 season and start of 1980-81. The Detroit streak is the sixth-longest single-season skid in NBA history.
Only the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers (both lost 26 straight), along with the 1995-96 Vancouver Grizzlies, the 1997-98 Denver Nuggets and the 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats (all lost 23 in a row) have lost more games in a row in a season. Philadelphia holds the overall mark of 28, set at the end of 2014-15 and start of 2015-16.
Embiid, who scored 41 points on Wednesday, added 13 rebounds for his ninth straight double-double as the Sixers won their fifth straight game. Embiid has averaged 36.3 points and 12.1 points in those nine games.
James Wiseman led the Pistons with 20 points. Bojan Bogdanovic had 17 as Detroit’s fell to 2-23 overall.
Former Piston Tobias Harris added 13 points for Philadelphia, and Marcus Morris Sr. was perfect on five 3-point shots for 15 points off the bench. The 76ers outrebounded Detroit 54-42.
The 76ers more than doubled Detroit in the second quarter, outscoring the Pistons 35-17 and building a 61-39 halftime lead. Philly stretched the lead to 32 points after three quarters. That allowed Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse to rest Embiid for the fourth quarter and the rest of the regulars for the final 10 minutes.
All 15 players on the Philadelphia roster scored.
There was plenty of tension between the teams, stemming from Wednesday's game when Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart was ejected for a Flagrant-2 foul on 76ers guard Patrick Beverley.
During warm-ups, Beverley approached Stewart and the two started jawing before members of both teams' security intervened.
Beverley continued a spirited conversation with Pistons assistant coach Jarrett Jack before eventually walking away. The conflict did not carry over to the game, although Stewart and Embiid were each assessed a technical foul for chirping with each other while Embiid was shooting free throws near the end of the first half.
UP NEXT
Pistons: Travel to Milwaukee on Saturday.
76ers: Visit Charlotte on Saturday.