Same Ol' Sixers (S.O.S.): Back to Back Losses Deflate End-of-Season Hot Streak

Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us 25 times…

[photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images]

Andrew Unterberger is a famous writer who invented the nickname 'Sauce Castillo' and is now writing for The Rights To Ricky Sanchez, as part of the 'If Not, Pick Will Convey As Two Second-Rounders' section of the site. You can follow Andrew on Twitter @AUGetoffmygold and can also read him at Billboard. 

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Sixers Record: 50-30, 5th in East

Ah shit, you mean there were still four games to go in the season after the win against the Bucks on Tuesday? Yep, with two days off and all the momentum in the world at their backs after they pivoted past Milwaukee for their fifth win in a row, the Sixers hit the road again. And facing the woeful Spurs -- missing the playoffs for the first time since Bill Clinton was prez, with DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge appearing on the back of milk cartons across the greater San Antonio area -- the Sixers once again face-planted. Embiid had his first truly off shooting night in a while (7-21 from the field for 22 points) and got turned around on defense like his name was Bright Eyes by San Antonio's surfeit of attacking guards. Shake and Furkan went similarly cold, DeRozan got hot, and by the late fourth we were will into Jamal Crawford minutes. Spurs 124, Sixers 112. 

That was bad, but salvageable with a good effort the next night -- last night -- in New Orleans. Well, the good effort they got, but not the win: Joel was wisely given the night off, and Tobias Harris put a nice scoring effort in his absence: 35 points on 15-26 shooting, though he was matched nearly bucket-for-bucket with Brandon Ingram, still seemingly getting those KOC power-ups every time he plays Philly. And Zion Williamson was the difference in this one, scoring a pair of huge putbacks for the Pelicans late, and swatting a potential Tobias game-winner across the Mississippi River as time expired. Pelicans 112, Sixers 110. 

I know we say this after every Sixers loss -- mostly because it's true about every Sixers loss -- but we should've seen it coming. Remember the Boston game last year that we all kept comparing this year's Bucks win to? Remember how the Sixers followed that one up? Back-to-back losses in Atlanta and Orlando. At least Philly kept their comedown shame in the Western Conference this time, but the general predictability remains disturbing. No more Friday/Saturday back-to-backs ever, please. 

Does it actually matter? We've already won 50 games, proven that we can still hang with the best, and locked ourselves into our playoff matchup, right? Well true, except that if these two extra road losses -- dropping our record away from the not-WFC to 13-27, with one game to go -- demonstrate anything, it's that home court in that first round matchup still kinda means everything. And with our two straight Ls, and the Heat protecting their floor against the Celtics last night, we've now pulled even with Miami at 50-30, meaning that Game One of that series would currently tip off at (a 30% empty) AmericanAirlines Arena. So yeah, I'd say it matters at least a little bit. 

You know who else thinks it matters? Brett Brown, who was definitely rocking the "nobody call or text me" glare as he took the podium to snap at some of the team's traveling reporters. "Are you asking if I'm looking forward to getting back to Philadelphia, Keith? Is that what you're asking me?" he shot back at a question about the team's road woes. "Yeah, I'd say I'm looking forward to getting back to Philly. 13 road wins all season, for a team with the talent that we have -- it's unacceptable. I know it's unacceptable, you know it's unacceptable, the guys getting on the bus to the airport right now know that it's unacceptable. But somehow, we come out of that visitors locker room, we take the court, and suddenly it becomes acceptable. I don't have an explanation for you, Keith, I really don't." 

He's finally emerged! Bryan Colangelo got his first interview since being ousted, shamefully, from the Sixers, as he was a candidate (??) for the Bulls President of Basketball Operations job. We, gleefully, discuss the possibility of Colangelo coming back to the NBA, and some of our favorite burner moments.

Unfortunately for Brett and the rest of us, the team doesn't get back to Philadelphia for one more game -- first, we gotta touch down in the land of the Delta Blues to take on the Grizzlies. At least that's the team Furkan Korkmaz had previously turned into a combination of Steph Curry and Michael Jordan against earlier in the year, so let's see if Furk can bring some of that sweet, vinegary BBQ seasoning to the Sixers' final road game of the season. Two games total left, and we'll need some help from Miami (who play in Charlotte on Monday and then close the season at home against the Raptors on Tuesday) to have a shot at getting home court in the first round. In the meantime, let's end the Grizzlies' playoff hopes and give Spike's Zion-for-ROTY ticket a little extra boost tomorrow in Memphis. Get all the way well soon, Ben Simmons.