Philadelphia 76ers Team Report - March 29

(Basketball News) - The Philadelphia 76ers slim playoff hopes took a big hit on Sunday, as they were on the wrong end of an 89-65 decision to the Boston Celtics at the FleetCenter.

Kenny Thomas posted 18 points and grabbed nine boards for the 76ers, who fell to 2 1/2 games behind Boston for the final spot. Philadelphia has lost nine of its last 10 on the road, including five straight, and are 20-17 away from home this season.

All-Star guard Allen Iverson missed his fourth straight game for Philly with a sore right knee. In the last nine games the Sixers played without Iverson, Chris Ford’s squad is 7-2. Iverson, the team’s leading scorer, has missed a career-high 26 contests this season and the 76ers are 12-14 overall without him.

The Sixers could have used their former MVP in this one, as they never got it going offensively and produced a season-low in point production.

Philadelphia trailed 20-14 after the opening 12 minutes and then only scored nine points in the second quarter as it went into the intermission down 42-23. The 23 first-half points were a franchise low.

The Sixers went 6:33 in the first quarter without a field goal, but went on an even worse drought over the second and third frames. Philadelphia went 10:03 without a field goal to get in a 46-25 hole.

Philadelphia, which dropped to 1-8 in Sunday games this season, will return to action on Tuesday when they host the Golden State Warriors.