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Archives: Vancouver Grizzlies end record NBA losing streak

This day in Vancouver history: April 3, 1996

The Vancouver Grizzlies snap an NBA season record 23-game losing streak when Blue Edwards hits a 16-footer with eight-tenths of a second remaining for a 105-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at GM Place.

The Grizz rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit and won a game for the first time since beating the Sacramento Kings on Valentine’s Day. Playing their first season in the league, they had already set the single-season record for consecutive losses and were one loss away from matching the all-time losing streak, set by the Cleveland Cavaliers after losing 19 consecutive games to end the 1981-82 season and five more to open the next one. The Grizzlies' slide started with a Feb. 16 loss to the Atlanta Hawks and reached an NBA single-season record 21 games with a March 29 loss to the Utah Jazz.

The home team led by as much as five -- 101-96 – in the dying minutes of the game and went ahead 103-101 on an Eric Murdock basket with 56 seconds left. But two Terry Porter free throws tied it and, with 6.8 seconds remaining, Blue Edwards inbounded and took a return pass. He dribbled into the key and launched a game-winning jumper.

To local basketball fans’ frustration, the team’s winning streak was short-lived and they were beaten 104-94 two days later by the L.A. Lakers.

The record for consecutive games lost has since been extended to 26, shared by both the Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers.

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