SixersYou’d think after an NBA team loses 26 consecutive games (and 29 of 30…and 32 of 34……and 34 of 37) it’d be safe to say that it had no equal at the bottom of the NBA cellar. Well, this season, we can’t say that — yet. The Philadelphia 76ers — as predicted by everyone — got blown out by the Houston Rockets Thursday night, 120-98. The loss ties the Sixers with the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers for the NBA record for most consecutive losses. It also ties them with the record for most consecutive losses by a professional sports team, as the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost the first 26 games of their existence (1976-1977).

Yet, unbelievably, there’s still one team worse than the Sixers: the Milwaukee Bucks. The same Bucks who were actually trying this season, and just happen to be that bad (although, even they threw in the towel Thursday, announcing Ersan Ilyasova would be out for the rest of the season). Somehow, the Bucks managed to beat the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday night, 108-105, sweeping the season series against the Lakers, and pushing their record to 14-58 — which, of course, is still one game behind Philly. Strap in folks — the final stretch of Tank-a-Palooza is going to be a sad, yet probably hilarious ride.

[Photo: AP/Bob Levy]