Hawks hand Sixers their second loss

Gone from the Wells Fargo Center were the Miami Heat.

In Friday were the Atlanta Hawks, another upper-echelon Eastern Conference opponent with their own version of a balanced attack.

After closing out a season-opening loss with an appreciative and perhaps sympathetic standing ovation from their home crowd, the 76ers came up with another fourth-quarter rally that was too little, too late.

A three-point shot by Andres Nocioni was blocked in the closing seconds of the Sixers' 104-101 loss to Atlanta on Friday night. But that, as coach Doug Collins explained, wasn't where the team missed out on its first win of the season.

By halftime, the Sixers had given up 62 points to a Hawks team that shot 58.3 percent from the field and had an edge in points in the paint (24-17) at intermission.

Hawks center Al Horford (20 points, 12 rebounds) had his way against the Sixers' Spencer Hawes, who had been slowed in the preseason by a sprained lower back.

Joe Johnson scored 22 points, Josh Smith had 12, and reserve guard Jamal Crawford added 19.

Hawes, the 7-foot-1 center, had six points, on 3-for-11 shooting, and four rebounds.

Nocioni, however, gave the Sixers a chance. He scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter. He hit 4 of 6 shots from the field in the period - two of them with a minute to play.

Andre Iguodala fed him on a behind-the-back pass for a layup. Then Nocioni had a put-back dunk with 1 minute, 7 seconds remaining that trimmed the deficit to 99-97.

"I try to bring energy to the game," said Nocioni, who also had five rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench. "I came to the game and thought about bringing defense and energy. We almost got it. We just need to close out the game better."

The last play, as Collins explained, was designed to go to Lou Williams. But the reserve guard never got it. Iguodala inbounded the ball to Nocioni, who hesitated and then dribbled back to the three-point line, where his shot was blocked.

Williams ran off two screens on the final play, but Nocioni couldn't find him.

"If we're going to focus on the last play, we are missing the point," Collins said. Nocioni "was covered on the play, but that is not the play that lost the game."

Jason Kapono, who started at small forward, was the first player out for the Sixers. He was scoreless in nearly eight minutes - all in the first quarter.

After Wednesday's season-opening loss to the Heat, Collins said he was opposed to changing the starting lineup. Williams and rookie Evan Turner had given a solid showing, particularly in the fourth quarter.

But with Nocioni igniting a fourth-quarter rally Friday that had the Sixers in contention on the final possession, Collins was more receptive to the idea.

"He has to start for us," Collins said. Nocioni "is going to give us more of a physical presence out there."

Igoudala recorded a game-high 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists. Elton Brand provided 20 points and eight rebounds. And Williams added 16 points and four assists off the bench.

Turner, who had a solid all-around game in his debut Wednesday, was less-impressive Friday. He was scoreless (0-for-5 shooting) in 19 minutes off the bench. He had two rebounds, four assists, and a blocked shot. And Jrue Holiday, the starting point guard, finished 3 for 11 for eight points, with four assists and four rebounds.

"We're not going to go out on the floor and beat [teams] with talent," Collins said. "It's got to be an effort where we're all putting it out together and helping each other out."

"We're trying to build something here," Collins added. "This is a 27-win team last year. We made changes: new coach, new personnel, a lot of new things are happening. But if you're telling me these guys are not putting their heart and soul out on the court, I'm not buying that. These guys are fighting to the finish."