In blowout by Bulls, 76ers again show they ‘don’t have the habits of a champion’

PHILADELPHIA The Philadelphia 76ers have seemed to hit rock bottom more than a few times in recent weeks.

If a 50-point deficit to the rebuilding Chicago Bulls isnt rock bottom, then it beggars belief what the next two months could have in store.

The latest in a season-long series of low points a 142-110 loss to the Chicago Bulls to drop 17 games under .500 at least elicited a response from Paul George, who had the gumption to state what has become patently obvious in an eight-game losing streak.

For this group to believe that we can, not even get to the playoffs, but make a push towards it, were showing no signs of a team that will compete, George said.

We just dont have the habits of a champion or (that) a playoff contingent team would have.

So to be honest, right now, its a little farfetched.

All we can do is work hard, try to just keep going for one another, but weve shown no signs of, forget championship, but (being) a playoff team.

Every time the 76ers seem to bottom out, they find away to dig on.

A 144-109 loss to Denver on Jan.

21 that left them 12 games under .500, worse than the 11 games from their 3-14 start, shouldve been the basement, and they responded by upsetting East-leading Cleveland as part of four straight wins.

But since then, theyve lost 10 of 11, each seeming more calamitous than the last.

From squandering a 26-point lead in losing to Boston, to trailing by 17 then leading in the fourth quarter before losing on a tip-in at the buzzer to the Nets, the Sixers are inventing novel ways to lose.

With the All-Star break giving a battered team with no one taking part in the San Francisco festivities a chance to rest, theyve responded by losing three straight home games, two in which they never led past the first quarter.

Mondays installment, which included surrendering 39 points in the first quarter and 75 in the first half to a team that had been 4-15 in its last 19, surely has to be the bottom.

About the only good thing Nick Nurse had to say was that things didnt go wrong because that would imply they were ever right.

I dont know that they started tonight, he said.

We just didnt get started tonight for whatever reason.

Again, the vibe is tough on them, things that are going on are tough.

Just couldnt respond tonight, but we will next game.

Things are difficult for the 76ers, in terms of health and availability.

Theyve dealt with a rash of injuries all season, including ongoing concerns to Justin Edwards (knee), Kyle Lowry (hip) and Eric Gordon (a wrist ailment that specialists havent yet figured out how to treat).

Joel Embiid, limited to 19 games, missed Monday while having his left knee, still recovering meniscus repair surgery last February, examined.

Compounding matters, Quentin Grimes left Mondays game due to a flareup of knee tendinitis.

Guerschon Yabusele got hit in the face, causing a corneal abrasion in one eye and swelling in the other.

Even with that adversity, trailing by 50 points to a Bulls team unsure if it would rather push for the playoffs or tank for draft position (and that lost Lonzo Ball to a first-half head laceration) was an impotent, prideless response.

I just said, theres a lot of games left and weve got to be professional, Nurse said.

Weve got to go out and play.

First of all, everybody needs to look at themselves, at what they can do better, and then look at what they can do better for the team, and do our jobs and be professional.

The defense remains a big issue.

The 76ers gave up 40 points in the first quarter on Saturday against the Nets and 36 in the first quarter/72 in the first half against Boston last Thursday.

Monday, it was 39 in the first half and 75 in the first half.

The Bulls led 136-86 with 5:39 left and had to slow down to be held to just 142.

Weve got to be more dialed in, more effort, more energy and more pride, said George, who with Kelly Oubre led the team with 18 points each.

Defensively, its the same conversations weve been having low communication.

It just baffles me how easy we give up layups in this league.

I just dont understand it.

The 76ers remain resistant to questions about packing it in for the season.

Nurse reiterated pre- and post-game that hed gotten no indication about shutting down Embiid for the season or pushing to increase the 76ers odds of retaining a top-six protected pick.

Maxey, who played with two fingers on his right hand taped to treat a sprain, fervently hit back at that notion: Thats not how Im wired.

Thats not how I play basketball.

Thats not how I live my life.

George hewed to the same line.

I dont want to believe that, he said when asked if the team has given up on the season.

I dont sense that in this locker room.

And I dont want to believe that.

But the time to change habits is dwindling, as the evidence of its difficulty mounts..

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