News » lphia team that entered the week with one win. Now the 76ers

WASHINGTON -- The Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards have suffered surprising losses in recent games. Karim Benzema Jersey . Then again, the way theyre racking up setbacks, the shock is starting to wear off.The Suns (4-10) fell to the 76ers 120-105 Saturday night in a start-to-finish beat-down against a Philadelphia team that entered the week with one win. Now the 76ers are up to three victories as they downed the Wizards 109-102 on Wednesday.The Suns and Wizards meet Monday night at 7:00 p.m.Washington (3-9) rebounded with a victory Thursday over the New York Knicks, but momentum quickly faded. The Wizards lost 114-111 to the Heat Saturday night against a Miami team that entered 28th in the NBA in scoring.Eric Bledsoe scored 27 points against Philadelphia as Phoenix fell to 1/3 on its current six-game road trip. 76ers rookie center Joel Embiid set a career-high 26 points.You give any team confidence at home and they can get rolling, Suns coach Earl Watson said. They have a lot of confidence here. Their crowd was energetic and Embiid in limited minutes was more than effective.Its unclear what the Suns will receive from second-year guard and leading scorer Devin Booker for the remainder of this stretch because of a sprained left ankle. The perimeter threat averages 19.2 points, but had only 10 Saturday.He struggled, Watson said of Booker. He gave all he had. He knew he wanted to play because we didnt have T.J. He sacrificed his body. Thats just the type of person he is. You could see he could barely move.The Suns were without forward T.J. Warren (illness) and C Tyson Chandler (personal reasons) in Philadelphia.Miami attacked Washington off the dribble, dominated the boards 48-38 and sank 13 of 27 from beyond the 3-point arc. The Wizards faded in the second half, trailing by 17 points midway through the fourth quarter before an unsuccessful rally.Were getting beat off the dribble, (allowing) offensive rebounds and were not guarding the 3-point line, Wizards coach Scott Brooks lamented. We have to get better at playing defense. Thats the bottom line.Guards John Wall and Bradley Beal each set season-highs with 34 points, but the Heat set a season-best scoring total.They got wide open 3s, Wall said after the middle contest of a three-game homestand. They had some guys that usually dont make shots that made shots because they were basically workout shots. There was nobody there to contest them.Another defensive challenge comes against the Suns, who average 108.4 points, sixth in the NBA.Markieff Morris left in the second quarter with a sprained ankle and did not return, though was walking without an issue in the postgame locker room. Traded from Phoenix to Washington last February, Morris is hopeful to face his former team Monday. Mathieu Valbuena Jersey .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. Kingsley Coman France Jersey .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. http://www.nationalfrancesoccer.com/hugo...-france-jersey/ . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON, France -- A gastronomical, sporting and cultural glance at Stage 8 of the Tour de France on Saturday:Region: The 184-kilometer (114-mile) stage began in Pau in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques department, crossed four mountain passes of the Hautes-Pyrenees -- including the legendary Col du Tourmalet -- and concluded in the thermal spa town of Bagneres-de-Luchon in the Haute-Garonne department.Baguette and butter: Defending champion Chris Froome won the stage and claimed the yellow jersey with a daring downhill attack from the top of the final climb, the Col de Peyresourde. Dan Martin of Ireland won a sprint for second, crossing 13 seconds behind, and Joaquim Rodriguez of Spain finished third. In the overall standings, Froome leads Adam Yates and Joaquim Rodriguez by 16 seconds overall.Plat du jour: Upon special demand, chef Jean-Pierre Saint-Martin at Le Viscos hotel and restaurant in the picturesque Pyrenean village of Saint-Savin will prepare presse de porc, a dish made with such fine pork that the meat can be cooked rare. Saint-Martin accompanies the presse with macaroni pasta filled with a rich truffle sauce.Culture: The pilgrimage town of Lourdes, which was located 35 kilometers into the stage, is the home of a Roman Catholic shrine where many faithful seek miracles. The Lourdes grotto is where an illiterate peasant girl, St. Bernadette, said she had visions of the Virgin Mary in 1858. About 6 million people, many of them illl, visit Lourdes every year to pray and drink its spring water, which believers say has healing powers. Mathieu Valbuena France Jersey. Vin du jour: From the foothills of the Pyrenees, Madiran is a well-structured red featuring hints of coffee, cocoa, and vanilla. Made predominantly with the Tannat grape variety, Madiran can also be blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Fer.History: Pau was the hometown of Henry IV, the king of France from 1589 to 1610. Known as le bon roi Henri -- Good King Henry -- he was remembered for his kindness and care toward his subjects.Stat of the Day: 1. It was the first time Froome won a Tour stage with a downhill attack. It was his sixth career stage win in the Tour.Quote of the Day: I felt like a kid again out there -- just racing my bike as fast as I could. Froome, on his downhill attack.Dessert: Back on the delightful terrace at Viscos, its time for soupe de peches -- peach soup -- a refreshing summer pudding made with fresh peaches, light cream and bits of pistachio.Next order: The Tour crosses into Spain for the start of Stage 9 on Sunday in Vielha Val DAran. Scaling five mountain passes, the 184.5-kilometer (115-mile) route concludes with a beyond category uphill finish in the tiny Alpine principality of Andorra. Its considered the toughest stage in the Pyrenees of this years Tour. ' ' '