Sixers 113, Suns 103: Nerlens Noel, center of attention

Even in the age of analytics, there is still something about those two round numbers that players love to chase. So when teammate Robert Covington outwrestled Nerlens Noel for what would have been Noel’s 10th rebound with a little over two minutes remaining, all Noel could do was smile.

“The guys were telling me on the bench I had nine and they told me to go get a tenth,” Noel said. “So I said, ‘I’m going to go get it’ and I think RoCo didn’t know I was there. It’s funny. It’s whatever, live another day to get another double-double.”

Noel didn’t get that elusive final board, but he submitted a very 2014-15 line of 14 points (5-7 FG), 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks. And it was in a winning effort, as the Sixers coasted past the Phoenix Suns 113-103 on Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers also completed a season sweep over the Suns.

Phoenix cut the deficit to 101-94 in the fourth quarter on a monster Archie Goodwin dunk, but Noel responded with a 16-footer at the end of the shot clock that proved to be the dagger.

The Sixers got a balanced effort, as they placed all five starters in double figures. All nine players that stepped on the floor recorded at least six points, including Richaun Holmes, who did this:

Despite getting contributions from everyone, Brett Brown singled out one player’s performance at the end of the game.

“I’m really pleased with Nerlens,” Brown said. “For him to come in with nine rebounds, three steals, and three blocks, that stands out more than his points.”

For one night, it felt like the Sixers hopped back into a time machine from a year ago. The suggestion here isn’t that they are better off with Jahlil Okafor out of the lineup. He is one of the team’s most important players going forward and, as of late, has started to shoulder a serious scoring load in a way that 20-year-old rookies almost always don’t. That said, there is an unintended benefit that is impossible to miss if your eyes are open.

Nerlens at the five. 

Noel addressed the topic with a quick, “I’m just playing basketball.” Okafor also more or less does the same when the roles are reversed (“Jahlil at the five”). They likely don’t want to bury one of their teammates and understandably aren’t thrilled with answering questions that have a divisive premise. And yet, the questions are asked for a reason. Check out Noel’s steal and block numbers since the beginning of the season (via NBA Wowy):

And since Christmas Eve, when the team acquired Ish Smith and Noel started to appear healthier:

In general, it just seems like Noel gets his hands on the basketball more when he’s playing in the paint as a center. Why is that, though? Here is Brown’s answer.

“I think it’s because he’s done it his whole life, he’s been good at it” Brown said. “He was going to be the first player chosen [in the draft] before the injury because of that. I think growing people to other positons is painful at times. I’ve said candidly a lot that he’s made the most sacrifices out of anybody.”

All that said, it’s likely not as if the Sixers would magically crumble if Okafor is on the floor against Phoenix. The Suns have lost 15 of their last 17 games, and Okafor probably would have done more than fine against what has been the worst defense in the NBA by quite a bit since January 1st.

After a prolonged slump, Covington looks like he is officially back. The recipient of some great Sixers ball movement, he shot 5-12 from deep en route to 19 points. Ish Smith, who stagnated the offense at times, contributed 20 points and nine assists. Every Sixer that played made a tangible positive contribution.

Especially after Sunday night’s poor showing against Boston, the head coach was happy with his team’s effort.

“We wanted to respond differently and we did,” Brown said. “I thought the toughness our guys showed where we reminded ourselves of what’s most important, to try to give a performance that’s energy and effort-based to the fans of the city of Philadelphia. We didn’t play like that last time.”

Notes

•    There seems to be quite the bug going around the Sixers. Jerami Grant battled through sickness to suit up against the Suns. That’s better than JaKarr Sampson, who didn’t play due to illness. And Sampson’s condition still must be better than Okafor’s, as the rookie was held out of tonight’s game and won’t travel tomorrow.

Brett Brown even joked that his team became ill after watching the replay of Sunday’s lackadaisical performance against the Celtics.

“It was just sort of a general flu,” Brown said. “I don’t know if it was weather or time off, I don’t know. But it has crept into the point where Jahlil won’t even travel.”

The Sixers were very short-handed against Phoenix. Isaiah Canaan, who had trouble trying to break his fall against the Celtics, wasn’t sick but gave it a go despite having sore wrists.

•    We saw how Jordan McRae could fill it up a couple of summers ago at the summer league in Las Vegas, and man, he put on a show at The Bob earlier today. He scored a D-League record 61 points on 21-34 shooting (and 16-18 free throws) in the Sevens’ 130-123 victory over the Canton Charge:

•    A lot of people ask about the progress on the Sixers’ practice facility, and the team provided an update earlier today. Pretty sweet digs on the Camden waterfront, it looks like. The team still believes the project will be completed by the end of 2016.

Brown said that the Sixers have consulted with people from around the world when designing the facility, from European soccer clubs and the Australian Institute of Sport.

“To try to pick and choose what reflects our values and build it accordingly,” Brown said of the process. “If we value sports science, then that side of the building better be A-plus.”

“It is world-class, it is cutting edge, it is elite. And to be involved in its infant stages was an exciting part of me taking this job.”

•    The Sixers are undefeated when Nicki Minaj sits courtside #analytics:

Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann