DENVER _ Will a new year bring a new 76ers? They can only hope.
Finishing what has been a disastrous 2016, the Sixers had hoped to end the year on a high note. And if what transpired on the court was any indication, 2017 _ at least the start of it _ holds more promise.
The Sixers snapped a four-game losing streak Friday night with a 124-122 victory over the Denver Nuggets here at the Pepsi Center. They capped their four-game, nine-day West Coast road trip with a much-needed win.
With his team down four points, Nikola Jokic went to the foul line to attempt three shots with 3.0 seconds left. He made the first two and missed the third on purpose. Nuggets shooting guard Gary Harris grabbed the offensive rebound and missed a jumper with 0.9 seconds left.
The victory improved the Sixers' mark to 8-24 heading into the New Year. The Sixers ended the 2015-16 campaign with a 10-72 record.
"Even though we are not happy with our record, we are in a much better place than we were at this time last year," said shooting guard Nik Stauskas, whose squad had a 3-31 record at this time last season.
Ersan Ilyasova and Joel Embiid paced the Sixers with 23 points apiece in a game in which all five Sixers starters and reserve Dario Saric scored in double figures. Ilyasova also had 13 rebounds to post his second consecutive and seventh double-double of the season. His 23 points tied his season-high.
Embiid also had six rebounds, five assists, two steals, three blocks and five turnovers before fouling out with 3.0 seconds left. Robert Covington finished with 19 points one day after scoring one point on 0-for-11 shooting.
T.J McConnell scored 13 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter. Saric added 13 points, while Stauskas finished with 10. Nerlens Noel had nine points, one rebound and one block.
Jokic paced the Nuggets (14-19) with a game-high 25 points.
The Sixers had a 112-102 lead after McConnell's three with 4 minutes, 20 seconds left.
Jokic, however, knotted the score at 117 with a pair of foul shots 49.4 second left. Embiid then split a pair of foul shots to give the Sixers a one-point lead with 31.5 seconds left.
Then Embiid stripped Jokic on the ensuing possession. After being fouled, the Sixer hit a pair of foul shots to give the Sixers a 120-117 lead with 15.9 seconds left. But Danilo Gallinari drove the lane for a dunk to make it a one-point game with 10.1 remaining.
Covington responded with a pair of foul shots with 8.8 left to push the lead back up to three.
After being fouled by McConnell, Emmanuel Mudiay went to the line with 5.5 seconds left. He made the first foul shot and missed the second on purpose. However, it was rebounded by Embiid. The 7-foot-2, 275-pounder made a pair of foul shots with 4.6 seconds left to five the Sixers a 124-120 advantage.
Embiid fouled out to put Jokic to the line with 3.0 left.
The Sixers were without their starting back court in point guard Sergio Rodriguez (left-ankle sprain) and shooting guard Gerald Henderson (left-hip soreness). The team also didn't utilize their starting lineup that featured twin towers Embiid and Jahlil Okafor. Embiid was paired with power forward Ilyasova.
Okafor sat out to the game to rest his sore left hamstring. He first experienced the tightness in Thursday's loss to the Jazz.
"It's really minor," Okafor said of his hamstring. "I could go out there and play."
The 6-foot-11 center added that Sixers coach Brett Brown though it was a good opportunity to rest. Plus, the Nuggets have small lineup, starting 6-8 power forward Wilson Chandler.
"He thinks it's a smart choice, and I agree with him," Okafor said.
Hamstring or not, one got the sense that the Sixers weren't going to start the twin towers lineup away. Brett Brown mentioned on Thursday that it hadn't been successful. And he was right; the Sixers were 1-5 in games where Embiid and Okafor were in the starting lineup. Plus, the pacing was better when Embiid was paired with Ilyasova.
Meanwhile, McConnell started in place of Rodriguez and Stauskas replaced Henderson for the second consecutive game.
