Evan Turner scored 23 points and the 76ers beat Cleveland 97-87 on Friday night, sending the Cavaliers to their season-high seventh straight loss.
C.J. Miles scored 19 points for Cleveland, which had lost six in a row on two previous occasions. The Cavaliers trailed 77-66 after three quarters, but cut the margin to 78-74 early in the fourth. Turner hit a 3-pointer and a jumper to push the lead back to nine. Holiday added two 3-pointers and scored in the lane to keep the Sixers comfortably ahead.
Philadelphia, which is 2-16 on the road since Jan. 2, took control in the second half to keep its faint playoff hopes alive.
Philadelphia is ninth in the Eastern Conference, but sits 6 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot with 10 contests to play.
Turner, who had three points at halftime, scored 13 in the first seven minutes of the third quarter and knocked down several timely shots to help the Sixers build their lead.
The last few weeks have been anything but cool for the Cavaliers, who played again without their starting backcourt of Kyrie Irving (bruised shoulder) and Dion Waiters (sore knee). Cleveland, which has the third-worst record in the East, was officially eliminated from postseason contention Thursday when Milwaukee defeated the Los Angeles Lakers.
In addition to injuries, the Cavaliers' previous three losses were particularly frustrating. Cleveland squandered a 27-point lead in the second half and lost to Miami at home, was blown out by 38 points in Houston the following game for its worst loss of the season and let a 14-point lead with eight minutes to play get away at home and lost at the buzzer against Boston on Wednesday.
Jrue Holiday had 20 points and Thaddeus Young added 18 for the Sixers, who used a 20-2 run that began late in the second quarter and extended into the third to take command.
Spencer Hawes had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Philadelphia, but Turner, who played his college ball at Ohio State, was the biggest difference.
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