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The Philadelphia 76ers will be glad to have the All-Star break to rest and recuperate. They lost to the Houston Rockets by a final score of 93-87 on Wednesday night, their fifth consecutive loss.
Philadelphia led 84-83 with less than three minutes to play when Houston's Kyle Lowry exploded for six points. Lowry's late run gave the Rockets a lead they would not surrender.
Lowry finished the game with 13 points, including a three-for-four performance on 3-pointers. That was three more 3-pointers than the Sixers had, who missed all nine attempts, a first on the season.
Luis Scola led Houston with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He and Lowry were two of six players in double figures for Houston.
Nikola Vucevic led Philadelphia with 18 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Lou Williams had 17 points, and Thaddeus Young had 15 in the losing effort.
Philadelphia is now 2-9 in games decided by seven points or less.
The loss narrows the 76ers lead in the Atlantic Division to just three games, ahead of the surging Knicks who have one game left to play before the break. The 76ers are off until Tuesday, Feb. 28, when they travel to Detroit.
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