Noel has solid night, but Sixers fall to Knicks

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Nerlens Noel walked out of the trainer's room stone-faced. The 6-11 center stood tall and crossed his arms.

"We lost," Noel said simply.

Though Noel was frustrated, he showed why he was the sixth overall pick in the 2013 draft. His career is a work in progress.

Noel scored 12 points, after going scoreless in the first quarter, and grabbed 11 rebounds in the 76ers' 84-77 loss to the New York Knicks last night in the Carrier Dome. Though it was the return to Syracuse for injured Michael Carter-Williams and Jerami Grant, it was Noel who stuffed the stat sheet.

"You just see a little bit more each time he plays," Sixers Brett Brown said of Noel. "He's still finding his way and wants to learn. He's instinctively curious."

After the teams went back and forth for the game's first 7 minutes, the Knicks went on a 17-1 run to end the first quarter with a 23-11 lead.

In the second quarter, the 76ers couldn't start a run of their own. Seemingly every time they scored, the Knicks answered. The smallest Knicks' lead in the second quarter was 12 points.

But it was in the second quarter when Noel stepped up. He scored eight points, including a two-handed dunk from beneath the hoop, and played more minutes than any of his teammates in the first half.

"It's a world of difference from the Celtics game," Noel said, referring to his preseason opener. "I'm more comfortable. I'm finding my spots where I'd be most effective."

The Sixers began climbing back in the third quarter and cut the Knicks' lead to 12 points with 2 minutes left.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute led the comeback attempt with eight third-quarter points. On a team with so many young players, the 6-year veteran helped carry the scoring.

"Just set a good example," Mbah a Moute said. "A lot of times, some of the guys, some of the young guys, feel like they watch you do the right thing, do what you're supposed to do. They can pick up how to be a pro in the league."

The Sixers got within six points of the Knicks with 5:42 left in the game. But that was the closest they got.

Though the Knicks led for most of the game, Brown knows that coming back late will be the Sixers' identity this season.

"It's sort of who we are this year," Brown said. "We're just going to try to fight to the end, let our fitness have a chance to kick in and try to wear people down. We're not going to go away."