Philadelphia 76ers Reached Peak Tanking in Dallas Mavericks Blowout

Don't call the 0-8 Philadelphia 76ers a dumpster fire. That's an affront to smoldering refuse.

General manager Sam Hinkie's tanking effort is more like a deep space exploration into the outer reaches of awfulness. It's bold and terrifying, and it propelled the 76ers into territory even they hadn't fathomed before Thursday night.

Facing a bloodthirsty Dallas Mavericks squad on its home court, winless Philadelphia folded early and resolutely, going down 28 points in the first frame despite the return of Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel to the floor.

Mavericks fans quickly lost interest in the hardwood bonfire and began to browse the periodicals:

The 76ers' suffering ended in a 53-point, 123-70 loss—only five points shy of the franchise record, according to Jordan Garretson of The Associated Press (h/t Yahoo Sports).

Having literally just penned a Players' Tribune article earlier in the day about his unwillingness to tank, Carter-Williams struggled to reconcile Thursday night's result.

"I'm sure we'll remember this, and don't want it to happen again," Carter-Williams said, per the AP's Stephen Hawkins (h/t NBA.com). "None of us in this locker room will ever get used to losing like that. None of us will ever get used to losing, period. We're upset after every loss."

Carter-Williams may not want to lose badly—he led his team in points, rebounds and assists on the night—but according to the Philadelphia Daily News' Bob Cooney, he did appear to throw in the towel:

Zero reprieve is on the immediate horizon for Philadelphia. It faces the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center Friday night and plays at San Antonio Monday. This stretch, in all likelihood, will be not unlike an extended hibachi dinner for Houston and the Spurs.

They will fillet, sear and stack the 76ers roster into a volcano tower. The team is burning. Might as well have fun with it.

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