5 Teams The 76ers Are Trying Not To Join In Infamy (We Think)
(CBS) The 76ers avoided infamy, at least for a night, with a win against the Timberwolves on Wednesday, earning their first win of the season and halting themselves one game short of tying the 2009-'10 Nets for the worst start in NBA history.
Philadelphia is now a robust 1-17. That New Jersey team started 0-18.
We know Philly is tanking, but we assume it doesn't want to go down as the worst ever. So the question is can the 76ers avoid joining this company and becoming one of the worst teams in NBA history for a full season? We'll have to wait and see, but they'll get there if they keep up their current 18-game pace. They're currently on pace for a 5-77 record, give or take a few fractions
Here's a look at the five worst teams in NBA history, by winning percentage.
2011-'12 Charlotte Bobcats: 7-59 (.106)
This was tough on owner Michael Jordan, who had to watch as his squad averaged just 87.0 points per game in a season shortened by a lockout. That last point was probably fortunate, because no one wanted to watch any more of this team than was needed. Charlotte managed to shoot just 29.5 percent from 3-point range.
1972-'73 Philadelphia 76ers: 9-73 (.110)
It was ugly from the start, as Philadelphia opened the year with an 0-15 mark. The 76ers then bookended that with an 0-13 finish. They won just two road games all season.
1992-'93 Dallas Mavericks: 11-71 (.134)
Efficiency wasn't this Dallas team's strong suit. Leading scorer Derek Harper shot just 42 percent from the field, while second-leading scorer Jim Jackson shot shy of 40 percent. The roughest stretch came from mid-December to mid-January, when the Mavericks lost 15 straight.
1997-'98 Denver Nuggets: 11-71 (.134)
Thirteen different players found their way into the starting lineup at some point, and let's just say some of their names won't live on forever: Eric Washington, Anthony Goldwire, Johnny Newman, Bryant Stith, Joe Wolf and Harold Ellis, to name a few. These Nuggets actually rallied in the second half of the season. After starting 2-38, which included a 23-game losing streak, they finished 9-33.
1986-'87 Los Angeles Clippers and 2009-'10 New Jersey Nets: 12-70 (.146)
These teams took different routes to futility, but neither ever really ever had hope. The 1986-'87 Clippers were actually 3-3 early in the season, then were undone by a one-win December and eventually finished with 14 straight losses. The 2009-'10 Nets started 0-18.
