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Turnover-prone Sixers drop 11th straight

This may not mean much, especially because it doesn't change the team's embarrassing reality.  But the 76ers, who had looked lackluster in recent setbacks, played with some grit early Tuesday night. As a result, they gave the Memphis Grizzlies a contest for a half.

Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) attempts a shot between Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) and guard T.J. McConnell (12) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center.
Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) attempts a shot between Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) and guard T.J. McConnell (12) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center.Read more(Bill Streicher/USA Today)

This may not mean much, especially because it doesn't change the team's embarrassing reality.

But the 76ers, who had looked lackluster in recent setbacks, played with some grit early Tuesday night. As a result, they gave the Memphis Grizzlies a contest for a half.

Again, it may not mean a thing, because the Sixers were still the same turnover-prone squad we've become accustomed to.

The defeat extended their losing streak to 11 games. This time, it was a 104-90 decision at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers are now 1-29, the worst start in NBA history through 30 games.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies (16-14) beat the Sixers for the seventh straight time.

"Truly, you can write 28 turnovers for 36 points," Sixers coach Brett Brown said of the Grizzlies' scoring 36 points off the Sixers' 28 turnovers. "That could be a headline or a single-sentence article. We can all go home, and we can all go finish our Christmas shopping. . . . You can recite that number as many times as you want. That is the game."

The Sixers committed turnovers in a variety of ways.

Just like on Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Sixers were bothered by the physical side of the game, where opponents get their hands on the ball.

"We get one dribble a little too deep in a crowd, and we're trying to make things happen in a physical sense that you can't just back up," Brown said.

Marc Gasol paced Memphis with a game-high 19 points to go with six rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a blocked shot. Mike Conley added 18 points and six assists.

The Sixers were led by Jahlil Okafor, who finished with 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Hollis Thompson added 16 on 4-of-6 three-point shooting off the bench.

The home team started Jerami Grant in place of Nerlens Noel at power forward to match up against the Grizzlies' small lineup.

Tony Wroten got the start at point guard against the team that traded him to the Sixers in August 2013 for a protected top 50 draft pick.

Wroten and Kendall Marshall, another Sixers point guard, still haven't been cleared to play back-to-back games.

So Marshall missed the game and will face his former team, the Milwaukee Bucks, on the road Wednesday night. Wroten will miss that game.

The Sixers are bringing the two along slowly after they recently returned to action from anterior cruciate ligament tears last season.

Wroten and company kept things competitive in the early going. The Sixers even led, 42-40, after Wroten's foul shot with 5 minutes, 15 seconds left before intermission. However, the Grizzlies closed out the half with a 13-5 run to take a six-point halftime lead thanks to six Sixers' turnovers during that stretch.

They gradually extended their lead to 11 points after three quarters. Then Memphis opened the fourth with an 8-0 run to take a commanding 85-66 lead with 10:53 to play. The Grizzlies went on to extend their lead to 20 points (89-69) shortly afterward.

"Some of it is they're playing good defense and some of it is just trying to push the issue a little too much," Okafor said. 'We've be doing better on our turnovers. We had a lot tonight - 28. It's hard to win when you turn the ball over that much."

kpompey@phillynews.com

@PompeyOnSixers

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