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Sixers-Rockets Recap: Come On, Not Again

The Sixers lost again tonight and if you missed it, just go back and watch every game for the last week and you'll have the right idea.

Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

For a few brief, fleeting moments. It looked like tonight would be the night. It really did.

The Sixers entered the fourth quarter down 11, not looking particularly impressive at any point during the game, which was good, because collectively, I don't think our brains could have handled a particularly competitive game given what had just been dropped into our laps right around tip-off.

The Sixers then came out in the fourth quarter on fire, launching into a 22-6 run that gave them a seven-point lead with just over six minutes to play. The run was powered by the Sixers suddenly incredible three-point shooting, as the team set a single-game record by burying sixteen three-pointers. With franchise center Jahlil Okafor on the bench, the Sixers small lineup and hot shooting gave the Rockets fits.

The star of the game for the Sixers was Robert Covington, who put up the best stat line of his career, with career-highs in points (28) and steals (8) to go with seven rebounds and five assists.

Unfortunately, as has been their custom in recent games, almost immediately upon taking the lead, the Sixers coughed it up, with several poor possessions with Covington resting and Phil Pressey running the offense. They also fell victim to James Harden, who put up 50 points, including 14 in the final seven minutes, to bring the Rockets back and put them ahead for good.

The loss marks the Sixers 27th consecutive regular season loss dating back to last season, which feels like a whole season ago because it is. It's a record for the most consecutive losses in a pro sport, which is bad, but it's also between two different teams, which makes it a somewhat weird record.

Eventually, they'll win one of these games. They will. The return of Covington from injury has been a major shot in the arm to a team that's had no scoring punch other than Okafor post-ups.

For everyone's sake, I hope it's soon.

As a bonus, given the Okafor news coming out tonight, tonight's Halftime Hangout over at the Liberty Ballers twitter was a challenge to Sixers fans to create their own outlandish event that could befall the woebegone Sixers next. As is custom, you did not disappoint. Here's a sampling of some of the finer unfortunate events you (and we) came up with. Feel free to add your own in the comments.

Sixers back at it again on Sunday in Memphis. Hopefully nothing else happens before then. At this point, I wouldn't bet on it.

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