MINNEAPOLIS - The Philadelphia 76ers were 16 seconds into their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Henry Sims was stepping to the free throw line when referee Zach Zarba blew his whistle and stopped the game. Authentic Jack Eichel Jersey .Turns out the Sixers were going in the wrong direction, just like they have been all season long. The foul was wiped away, the teams switched sides and the game was restarted and the Sixers got pointed the right way.The 76ers avoided tying the record for the worst start to a season in NBA history, ending their 0-17 skid with an 85-77 victory over the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.A loss to the Timberwolves would have tied the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets for the worst start to a season in league history at 0-18. Many of these Sixers, including point guard Michael Carter-Williams and coach Brett Brown, were part of the team that lost 26 straight games last season, which tied the record for consecutive losses.One-and-17 never felt so good.For me personally, I think its a big relief off my chest, Carter-Williams said. And the same is for the rest of the guys now that we got a win.Particularly the first one for a team with the youngest roster in league history.We feel like this validates the work theyve put in, Brown said. I just have a tremendous amount of respect for the fact that they never once quit on themselves, short-circuited a practice, and they were rewarded tonight.Carter-Williams had 20 points, nine rebounds and nine assists and Robert Covington added 17 points in a game between two of the worst teams in the league.The Sixers shot just 39 per cent against the poorest defence in the NBA, turned the ball over 19 times and scored only nine points in the second quarter.Gorgui Dieng had 15 points and 16 rebounds for the Timberwolves. But Minnesota shot just 35.7 per cent and turned the ball over 19 times to lose for the 11th time in 13 games.Thats what makes it bad, Wolves forward Corey Brewer said. They play that bad and we still lose? We have to look at ourselves, man. Its tough. We cant lose that game, period.The Sixers were missing leading scorer Tony Wroten and backup point guard Alexey Shved (hip), leaving them with one healthy point guard.But the Timberwolves were ripe for the taking without injured starters Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic and playing their fourth game in six nights.The teams combined for 66 points, 55 missed shots and 25 turnovers in the first two quarters. The Sixers led by 10 points after the first quarter — their first double-digit, first-quarter lead of the season — and 12 in the second quarter before the Wolves got going.They closed the period on a 13-1 run to take a 34-32 lead into the break, but both teams spent most of the night clanking shots, fumbling passes and squandering opportunities.Carter-Williams hit 9 of 20 shots and Covington, a call-up from the D-League, hit two big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to give the Sixers a 69-64 lead.Mo Williams capped an 11-2 spurt with a 3-pointer that gave the Wolves a 75-73 lead with 2:18 to play. But K.J. McDaniels, who air-balled his first two 3-pointers of the night, came right back with a 3 of his own and Covingtons third 3 of the quarter with 1:15 left sealed it.Congrats lil homies, Sixers great Allen Iverson tweeted. Keep fighting and stay strong.TIP-INS76ers: Brown improved to 20-80 in his first 100 games as coach, narrowly avoiding becoming just the fifth coach in NBA history to win fewer than 20 in his first 100. ... The Sixers missed their first 12 3-pointers. ... McDaniels finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. ... The win snapped a string of 23 straight losses to Western Conference opponents.Timberwolves: Andrew Wiggins was chosen Western Conference rookie of the month for November. He had 11 points and five rebounds. ... The Wolves held the Sixers to nine points in the second quarter, the second-lowest number in franchise history. ... Anthony Bennett played just less than four minutes in the game, with coach Flip Saunders saying he was upset with Bennetts effort.PAYING HOMAGEThe Wolves honoured Harold Gifford during the second quarter. Gifford was the co-pilot on a flight in 1960 carrying the Minneapolis Lakers that had to make an emergency landing in a cornfield in Iowa. Gifford is credited with helping make a safe landing and saving the lives of everyone on board.UP NEXT76ers: Host Oklahoma City on Friday.Timberwolves: Host Houston on Friday. Authentic Rene Robert Jersey . Hemsky left the Oilers Tuesday night loss to the Dallas Stars in the second period and did not return. Through 48 games this season, Hemsky has seven goals and a total of 24 points. Buffalo Sabres Outlet Store . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Darcy Kuemper, Minnesota (5): He was calm, poised, and looked comfortable all game. http://www.cheapnhlsabresjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-patrik-berglund-jersey . -- Sami Salo joked that as the shootout went on and on, one thing went through his mind: "Youve got to tie up your skates. ST. JOHNS, N.L. -- The St Johns IceCaps got an early preview of what it will take to win in the post-season. Jerome Samson scored the eventual winner as St. Johns defeated the visiting Springfield Falcons 3-1 on Saturday in American Hockey League action. The IceCaps currently sit in fourth spot in the Eastern Conference, four points behind Springfield, while the Falcons are just one of two clubs in the East to have already clinched a playoff spot. "That is the kind of team, the kind of squad, we are going to have to beat in the playoffs down the road," said Samson. "The kind of game we played, to be hanging around 3-0 and almost get the shutout, it shows a lot and builds up our confidence." Samsons goal came on what he described as a "broken play" at 10:55 of the second period and gave St. Johns a two-goal advantage. "I took a shot off a defenceman and then the puck was kind of scrambling and then (Brenden) Kichton ended up behind the net," said Samson. "I got open on the side of the net and the goalie was kind of swimming in the crease a little bit, so that helped me. It was a huge goal for us, to get the two-goal lead."; John Albert had a pair of goals for the IceCaps (42-22-6) while Tyler Beskorowany made 23 saves for the victory. Authentic Matt Hunwick Jersey. . Patrick McNeill replied for the Falcons (44-21-6). Jeremy Smith stopped 28 shots in defeat. Albert opened the scoring for the IceCaps when he picked up a loose puck off a rebound and buried a low wrist shot 4:34 into the first period. Albert added his second, finishing off a 2-on-1 give-and-go with captain Jason Jaffray 15:13 into the second period. McNeill put the Falcons on the board with a point shot that hit off a skate on the way through with 4:33 left in regulation time. St. Johns head coach Keith McCambridge was satisfied with his clubs effort, especially in the defensive zone, just one night after allowing eight goals against in a loss to Springfield. "I was impressed with the level we played at," he said. "I thought our attention (towards) the areas we thought we had to get better at, (things) that we werent at our peak performance in with regards to last night-- we were able to get offensive opportunities and keep pucks out of our net by bearing down and making sure we are strong in front of net." cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '