ORLANDO, Fla. – Nerlens Noel took another step forward in his return to the hardwood by playing back–to-back games for the first time when the Sixers earned a 92-86 win over the Brooklyn Nets in the Orlando Pro Summer League.
The win was the Sixers’ third in a row to improve their record to 3-1.
Noel looked tired out of the gate, but he found his groove in the second quarter. At halftime, the Sixers' center had seven points, seven rebounds, four blocks and one steal. He finished the game with 14 points, nine boards, five blocks and the lone steal.
For the first time in three games, Noel missed from the free-throw line. He was 6 for 10 at the stripe.
Casper Ware led all scorers with 24 points. He also had eight assists.
The Sixers shot 11 for 27 from three-point range, led by Travis Bader, who shot 4 of 8 from distance.
Bader and Jerami Grant each added 12 points.
NBA
The Nets were led in scoring by Donte Greene and Markel Brown, who each contributed 17 points.
JaKarr Sampson had the highlight of the day with a one-handed follow-slam off a Hollis Thompson missed jumper late in the third quarter.
It wasn’t all positive news for the Sixers, however. The No. 32 overall pick in last month’s NBA draft, K.J. McDaniels, sprained his left ankle and did not return.
Both Michael Carter-Williams and Thaddeus Young sat on the bench next to the Sixers’ coaching staff.
"It is a credit to them," Sixers president and general manager Sam Hinkie said of having the veterans on hand. "It is something that is important to us. We talk about it a lot. It is a signal for our culture. We can't promise it will be like this every year, but it matters for our young players.
"Our fans think of Michael as a new Sixer, but our draft picks think of him as the Sixer they identify with the most. They have been in college and they saw that he won Rookie of the Year.
"You would be surprised how quickly you get down the learning curve as an NBA player and how things change for everybody when you become somebody people are looking up to."