Cavaliers match US all-sport mark losing run

NBA doormat Cleveland Cavaliers matched the all-time record losing streak in American pro sport history on Wednesday as they suffered their 26th defeat in a row by falling 103-94 to Detroit.

Cavaliers coach Byron Scott kept the locker room closed for more than half an hour after the historic loss, then ripped the woeful squad for being unprepared for the game.

“I’m mad as hell,” Scott said. “I can deal with losing, especially when our guys play as hard as they have in the last couple weeks. But I find it very hard to deal with when guys don’t come out ready to play.

“We’ve got all professional basketball players in there and at some point in time you have to have some pride in what you’re doing.”

The Cavaliers extended their NBA record losing streak, having broken the old mark of 24 they set over the 1981-82 and 1982-83 seasons, and equalled US sport’s record run established by Grid Iron’s 1976-77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers went 0-14 in their 1976 debut season and started 0-12 in the 1977 campaign before finally winning.

The Cavaliers, who began an eight-game homestand with the loss, will stand alone with the longest losing streak in American pro sport history if they go down at home to the Los Angeles Clippers tonight.

Sunday provides a solid chance for a victory as the Cavaliers host the Washington Wizards, who are 0-25 this season in road games, four shy of the NBA record for worst road record start to a season.