Sixers Fall to 0-4 With Loss to Bucks

Report From Philadelphia 76ers

Game Recap: Bucks 91, 76ers 87

In what was their strongest showing yet this young season, the 76ers (0-4) battled the Milwaukee Bucks (2-3) down to the wire. The hosts – coming off a surprising run to the 2015 NBA Playoffs – strung together a decisive 9-2 run over the final 2:29 of the fourth quarter to clinch their second straight victory. The competitive scrap featured 11 ties, and 17 lead changes.

Jahlil Okafor tied a game-high by pouring in 21 points, marking the third time in four games that the rookie center deposited at least 20 points. Nerlens Noel, by collecting 17 points and a game-best 12 rebounds, registered his second double-double of the season. T.J. McConnell gave the Sixers a spark for the second game in a row, this time doing so in a starting capacity. He racked up seven points, nine rebounds, and 12 assists.

Khris Middleton, who had 21 points for Milwaukee, made several key plays in the closing stages of the game. He set-up Greg Monroe (18 pts, 8 reb) for a dunk that gave the Bucks the lead for good with 89 seconds to go. Less than a minute later, Middleton buried a triple that would put the game out of reach. Jabari Parker – who had been sidelined since last December with a left knee ACL tear – managed just two points in his first appearance of the year.

Top Moment:

Two key sequences involving the Sixers’ starting big men stood out. Three minutes into the game, with Milwaukee in the halfcourt, Nerlens Noel pried away a steal at the free throw line. The loose ball found Jahlil Okafor, who proceeded to bound roughly 80 feet down the court to drop in a running lay-up.

Another highlight came late in the fourth quarter, and showcased Noel. With the Sixers down three points, he scored six points over the course of an 8-2 spurt that gave the Sixers an 85-82 advantage with 2:29 remaining in regulation. All three buckets came via hard moves to the rim.

Brett Brown Said – On the Sixers starting frontcourt of Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel combining for 38 points and 18 rebounds:

“I look at the energy that Nerlens had. He was a monster. Those two coexist just fine.”

Of Note:

Based on the effective performance T.J. McConnell turned in against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night, Brett Brown decided to give the undrafted rookie agent his first career NBA start on Wednesday. From the get-go, McConnell energized his teammates, as has become customary through the Sixers’ opening four outings. He rewarded his head coach’s faith by nearly pulling off a triple-double.

“I’m just trying to do anything I can to help this team win,” McConnell said shortly after Brown announced the line-up change. “I’m just excited for the opportunity…and just play as hard as I can.”

Isaiah Canaan was brought off the bench for 15:00. He scored three points, and missed all four of his field goal attempts.

Moments before tip-off, the Sixers announced the signing of Phil Pressey, inked for point guard depth. Pressey, an undrafted rookie free agent who played collegiately at Missouri, spent the last two seasons with the Boston Celtics, averaging 8.1 points and 7.9 assists per 36 minutes over 125 games. His connection to Brett Brown dates back to Brown’s first stint with the San Antonio Spurs assistant,when coached alongside Pressey’s father, Paul, an eight-year NBA veteran.

“In 1999…[Spurs General Manager] R.C. Buford’s son, Chase had an AAU team, and I used to help with that team,” said Brown. Phil Pressey was a member of that club as well.

“I actually coached him he was 7 or 8 years old. So, I’ve seen him, and have known of him for a while. I know that he can come in and sort of create havoc and all defensively. I know he has a tremendous pace. I know that he’s a point guard. And those quality interest us.”

Michael Carter-Williams, after totalling 37 points in two meetings against his old club last season, was unavailable Wednesday due to a left ankle sprain he sustained Monday at Brooklyn. Still, he tried to reach out to several Sixers after they arrived in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

“I got a lot of friends on that team, teammates that I’ll probably talk to the rest of my life, my career,” Carter-Williams said when asked if he still stays in touch with members of the Sixers. “I definitely check in on them, see how they’re doing, and wish the best for them.”

Carter-Williams indicated that his ankle injury isn’t too serious, and believes that he’ll be back on the floor soon.

Next Up:

For the second time in the span of five days, the Sixers are confronted with the task of taking on this season’s NBA title favorites. Despite a strong start against the Cleveland Cavaliers (4-1) on Monday at The Center, the Sixers were blitzed in the third quarter, on the way to falling, 107-100. LeBron James, with 22 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists, came close to notching a triple double, all while becoming the youngest player in NBA history to pass the 25,000-point plateau. Mo Williams finished with 21 points, while Kevin Love had a modest night, pitching in with 15 points and eight rebounds. The Cavs have won four consecutive games.