The Sixers (9-64) close out their road trip with a matchup against the defending champion Golden State Warriors (65-7) at Oracle Arena on Sunday night (8 p.m./CSN).
Let’s take a closer look at the matchup:
1. Heartbreak hotel
Even with 64 defeats on the season, the Sixers keep coming up with new ways to lose.
The latest came Saturday night in Portland, when the Sixers rallied from a double-digit deficit only to allow C.J. McCollum to split a trap and get to the rim for an old-fashioned three-point play with 7.6 seconds remaining in a 108-105 loss to the Trail Blazers.
That came on the heels of the Sixers’ crushing 104-103 loss in Denver on Wednesday, when Emmanuel Mudiay hit a wild heave at the buzzer.
Still, with the losses and injuries both mounting, head coach Brett Brown insists that he likes what he sees from the team.
“You walk away feeling like we could have stole a win on the road,” he said. “I’m thrilled with their effort. I think they showed a side that they’ve been showing. We got back in the game and had a chance to knock somebody off on their home court with a really unlikely group because of multiple injuries.”
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2. Sunday splash
The Sixers don’t have any time to dwell on the most recent heartbreaker with the NBA’s toughest challenge on tap.
They will now try to solve the nearly impossible riddle that is the Warriors, starting with the backcourt tandem of reigning MVP Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Curry and Thompson average a combined 52.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 2.87 steals per game. The combo has also more than earned its nickname “The Splash Brothers” as Curry and Thompson each shoot better than 43 percent from three-point range and account for 8.5 made triples per game.
The Sixers didn’t have too many answers for the league’s top guard pairing during the season’s first meeting when they nearly pulled off the mammoth upset in a 108-105 loss at the Wells Fargo Center. Curry and Thompson totaled 55 points with nine three-pointers, nine assists and seven rebounds. They did commit 13 turnovers, however.
3. History in the making
Ordinarily, a lopsided matchup late in the season like this one is designated for seldom-used reserves and young players.
Not this time. With so much history on the line, both teams will be giving it their all once things get underway.
The game will already be historic once things tip off with the 56½-game difference between the two teams in the standings representing the largest margin ever between opponents for a game.
The Sixers are still searching for a 10th win to avoid tying the 1972-73 team for the worst record in league history.
On the other side, the Warriors are looking to make history by passing the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ 72-10 mark for the best record ever. Golden State is currently one game ahead of Chicago’s pace.
The Warriors are also out to keep their home winning streak intact. They have ripped off 52 consecutive victories at Oracle Arena.
4. Injuries
Kevon Looney (hip) is a game-time decision. Festus Ezeli (knee) and Andre Iguodala (ankle) are out.
Nerlens Noel (knee) is out. Richaun Holmes (Achilles) and Sonny Weems (quad) are both uncertain to play after exiting Saturday’s game against the Blazers.
5. This and that
• The Sixers have lost five in a row to the Warriors by an average of 22.2 points.
• The Warriors broke the NBA’s team record for three-pointers in a season of 934 in their last game. They now have 938.
• The Sixers have lost eight in a row overall and 12 consecutive on the road.
• Curry has averaged 19.1 points against the Sixers during his career, his second-lowest total against any opponent.