Winless 76ers welcome Suns to town

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Philadelphia 76ers remain the NBA's only winless team, but they'll once again try to change that Friday night when the Phoenix Suns pay their only visit of the season to the Wells Fargo Center.

The Sixers are four losses away from matching the 1972-73 team for worst start in franchise history. That team from 40 years ago finished with the worst record in the history of the NBA.

On Wednesday, Philly collected its 11th consecutive loss to begin the season with a 101-90 setback at home to the Boston Celtics. That setback came after an 0-4 road trip, low lighted by a 53-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Tony Wroten scored 21 points off the bench to lead the Sixers, who have fallen by double digits in eight of their 11 losses.

Henry Sims added 14 points in the loss, Luc Mbah a Moute and Michael Carter- Williams scored 11 apiece and Nerlens Noel had 10.

The Sixers won three of the four meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals last season and were in line to make a run at their first win before Boston pulled away in the second half.

The Celtics outshot the Sixers 52.5 percent to 37.5 percent in the third and fourth quarters after the score was tied 46-46 at halftime.

"We didn't communicate as much on defense and they got some open shots," said Noel, who, with Carter-Williams, returned to the starting lineup on Wednesday. "Rondo does a great job running that team."

The Sixers play against the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden Saturday, then play four in a row in Philly. Portland, Brooklyn, Dallas and San Antonio come to town as the 76ers search for a win.

Friday night represents game four of a six-game road trip for the Suns. It started poorly with a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, but Phoenix won the last two over the Celtics and Detroit Pistons.

On Wednesday, Eric Bledsoe's go-ahead layup with 28.7 seconds left lifted the Suns to an 88-86 win over the Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope knocked down a left corner 3-pointer to stake Detroit to an 86-85 edge, Bledsoe knifed through the lane and snuck his layup past Greg Monroe.

Markieff Morris blocked a Brandon Jennings layup attempt with about five seconds to go and Caldwell-Pope's top of the arc triple was off the mark.

Bledsoe split a pair of foul shots with 1.3 ticks on the clock and Jennings' heave at the horn was well short.

"They let me get the ball and make plays in the fourth quarter and that's what I do," Bledsoe said.

Bledsoe finished with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Suns. P.J. Tucker had 16 points and seven rebounds and Goran Dragic added 12 points and four helpers in the triumph.

The Suns visit the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors before heading home.

The Suns have won three in a row against the Sixers after Philly took four straight. The Sixers are 3-2 in their last five as the host in this series.