Sixers fall to Nets, but Okafor, Noel start to jell
NEW YORK - A pair of defenders swarmed the 76ers' Nerlens Noel as he grabbed a pass near the top of the lane. Noel passed without hesitation, finding Jahlil Okafor on the low post for an easy bucket Sunday in the first quarter of a 92-91 preseason loss to the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center.
NEW YORK - A pair of defenders swarmed the 76ers' Nerlens Noel as he grabbed a pass near the top of the lane. Noel passed without hesitation, finding Jahlil Okafor on the low post for an easy bucket Sunday in the first quarter of a 92-91 preseason loss to the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center.
The added attention on Noel created space for Okafor. The defense did almost the same thing in the third quarter, except this time it was collapsing around Okafor as he found an open Noel. The pair's ability to mesh this season will be the essential element of the Sixers season. On Sunday, they seemed to be growing just fine. They will have one more preseason tune-up before opening night on Oct. 28.
"We're getting more and more comfortable as time goes on and we play more and more games," Noel said. "We learned each other's tendencies - where he likes to be on the court, where I like to be on the court. It's only going to get better and better."
Okafor finished with 14 points and five rebounds in 20 minutes, 12 seconds. Coach Brett Brown limited Okafor's playing time as he returned to the court after missing two games with a sore right knee. The rookie displayed an improving jumper, knocking down a shot from just past the foul line in the second quarter. He said his knee felt fine.
Brown said Noel and Okafor are getting better together in small doses. Some of their development will occur organically, the coach said. A good portion, Brown said, will come from the way they are coached.
"They both are willing passers. They both are good people. They get along great," Brown said. "Now, I just have to show them how to coexist even easier. I think the time factor contradicts that they will grow organically. They just haven't had the time to do it."
Noel led the Sixers in points (15), minutes (34:51), rebounds (10), assists (5), and steals (6). He seemed to come alive in the second half, scoring all but three of his points after the break. He started the half off with thunder as Okafor found him on an alley-oop in transition early in the third quarter. The play was triggered by T.J. McConnell, who made a diving steal and flicked a pass to Okafor.
"I hope Philadelphia pays attention to that play," Brown said. "That shows an incredibly aggressive T.J. It shows an incredibly athletic Nerlens and a gifted passer on the move in a 19-year-old center. Jahlil made a hell of a touch pass."
McConnell started at point guard as Isaiah Canaan was sidelined. McConnell finished with six points and three assists in 27 minutes. He was paired at times with fellow point guard Scottie Wilbekin, who has shown an ability to play off the ball. Wilbekin scored 11 points in 21 minutes.
"It's a puzzle for sure," Brown said of the point guard competition. "Even with all of us that are most clearly in the know and live it and breathe it daily, I still don't have an answer. I really don't. As we said from the beginning, it's a genuine, competitive fistfight that these guys are going through."
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