Philadelphia 76ers Okafor Noel Can Coexist Thanks to McConnell

The Philadelphia 76ers are growing up. Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel played some of  their best on the same night, but the best night belonged to T.J.McConnell

A bird in the hand.  With an NBA draft coming up, and with an appetite and fans and sports analysts have one again linked the Sixers to a deep gnawing hunger for a point guard that was unsatisfied in the 2015 NBA draft.  You see, the team was projected to take D’Angelo Russell, but he went at the second overall pick to the Los Angeles Lakers.  If you don’t succeed, try try again.  To some analysts, I have read that Sixers team is that star point guard away from making significant strides.

Perhaps.

But if the Sixers had taken D’Angelo Russell, and if D’Angelo Russell had the type of numbers that T.J. McConnell is having, there would be no talk of a point guard in the upcoming draft.   There may not even have been a trade for Ish Smith, whose return to the Philadelphia 76ers coincided to the team suddenly learning that winning is becoming more of a habit than in the past three years.

Such is the element of perception.  Perception is the quality of believing that a first round draft choice who had done nothing for his first NBA team, but could “if he gets a new start” begin to make things happen is something I am guilty of.  We had that perception of Nik Stauskas when we asked for his inclusion in a trade with the Sacramento Kings.   But many things can fall under a topic of perception.  This story is about a perception… a perception of a group of rookies and second year players discovering they can win in the pros.  Despite the fact that they are new to the NBA, are playing on a team with only a few months familiarity, the Philadelphia 76ers are turning the corner.  This team fell to 1-30, but has been on a mini-run of 7 wins 13 losses since Christmas.  If this were a sustainable pace, the team would fall just shy of 30 wins in a season.  Not much to brag about is it?  But let’s focus on the rate of improvement instead:

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On a team of one win in 31 games, they would have been on pace to win three games by season’s end.   But in their current status, will fall somewhere shy of 20 wins. With no changes to the current roster, the “as is” Sixers begin next season familiar with one another, and continue to improve as a result to a smilar jump of 17 wins.  But instead of a 1-30 base, the team is at it’s current rate of 30 wins. At this pace, the team could be playing better than .500 basketball next season.

And then you get to add the new faces and 2016 appears to be very promising indeed.    But you didn’t open this story to hear about what might be or might never be.  So lets lift the hood of this engine that appears to have more horsepower than originally thought.  What’s happening there?   Right now, there are three players who are beginning to fulfill their destiny:  Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel, and T.J. McConnell.

Next: Okafour?

Jahlil Okafor to Okafour?

He has been in the NBA for less than a season. In fact, for less than half a season. But, if you judge the young man by what he’s managed to absorb in this short period, you’d think he had aged five years already in this short five months of the NBA season.    Jahlil Okafor is a 19 year old rookie center / power forward for the Philadelphia 76ers.  When the team drafted him at number three of the 2015 NBA draft, he became the third straight center drafted by the Sixers in the past three years- following similar position elections of center Nerlens Noel in 2013 (albeit via a draft) and Joel Embiid (who remains out with a second surgery to his foot).

But Jahlil’s youthful aspect  has contributed mightily to the rapid maturation of Okafor.  When the rookie was out and abound following a road loss to the Boston Celtics, he was involved in an incident which eventually led to a two game suspension and perhaps even the team signing on new executive Jerry Colangelo. Prior to the that, Okafor was presumed to be the starting center, and Noel was expected to make the painful transition over to the power forward role.

But Jerry Colangelo noted that Nerlens Noel is a rim protecting center.  Thus the team has been scrambling to get Jahlil Okafor out at the four spot.  How’s that working out?  Well, we have the video of the recent win over the Brooklyn Nets.

It was an outstanding performance of a true team effort.  But does the story have a happy ending for former Duke Jahlil Okafor?  You bet it does!

And then there is this little tidbit about the work of Jahlil Okafor, in the framework of NBA history.  A flash or a fire starting?  We’ll have time to find out.

This was a solid outing for Jahlil Okafor, who is now learning the game from the power forward spot.  Okafor also has his own personal mentor of transitioning between center and power forward from one of the NBA’s best – Elton Brand.   Despite Brand’s presense, this could be a rough go of things at times going forward, but the win against the Nets certainly brings hope that a team pairing Jahlil Okafor with Nerlens Noel could be very dangerous in the not so distant future.

Next: Noel is The Wall

Nerlens Noel is The Wall

Nerlens Noel is just a different type of player. He has not been the “volume shooter” that you see from some, but his scores can be a thing of beauty, particularly when he gets a solid feed from either Ish Smith or T.J. McConnell.  Since Smith was out of the Nets game with an ankle injury, the role of dietician fell squarely on McConnell.   McConnell delivered just as he has all season long:

Noel is huge on the alley oop play, but he’s undeniably a premier talent as a rim protector:

"“I think it helps the team, it’s just personnel,” Noel said. “I think me being around the rim helps my shot-blocking presence, especially in the pick-and-roll when they usually bring a 5 up. I think it changes the game.”"

The consensus is that Noel is just that good around the rim, that it’s becoming more obvious that the team needs to move Jahlil Okafor to power forward, and Nerlens Noel back to center. In previous attempts, the defense was crippled. But last night’s effort against the Brooklyn Nets was different.  The defense was up to the task, and the offense was hot – led by the Okafor/Noel tandem of 40 points combined.

Since we placed Okafor’s performance up against the history books, we are obligated to oblige Nerlens Noel as well.

This was a solid outing for Jahlil Okafor, who is now learning the game from the power forward spot.  That was a solid outing for Nerlens Noel, who continues to showcase some incredible play.  But for the Philadelphia 76ers?  The win against the Brooklyn Nets is the new benchmark.

Next: Good Times Ahead

Good Times Ahead

This is a young cast who were reading the scripts for the first time each night they appeared on the basketball court.  So it’s not surprising just how poorly this team had played coming out of the gate of the 2015-2016 season, but a true surprise indeed of just how quickly they had and still continue to improve.

The pieces are falling into place nicely.  Even undrafted rookie T.J. McConnell had a breakout game in scoring 17 points to accompany his six assist evening.   He’s always been excellent in slotting the ball to other players.  But last night he seemed to remember the most important element of scoring to a top point guard – he is capable of scoring as well.

"“I was just trying to do my best impression of him (Ish Smith) tonight,” McConnell said."

And so, a little light begins to shine through at the end of the tunnel.   The Sixers are emerging from the worst into the brighter future.  How far will their momentum carry them is difficult to assess right now.  The team is getting an expected boost by a suddenly able to play together Noel and Okafor pair. With a combined 40 points and 21 rebounds, the evening was certainly a statement that these two can make a great front court.

Next: Has Philadelphia 76ers Exec Colangelo Dictated Jahlil Okafor to Four?

The next missing pieces of this team are revealing themselves as previous unmet needs are filled. This is more than just unfilled squares, but more aptly described as steps.  With more solid play at the point guard position by both Ish Smith and T.J. McConnell, the team is now developing in the other positions.  In fact, point guard play is promising enough that I will be fine if the team looks elsewhere at the NBA draft.  With so many picks, it’s not likely.  But between  Ish Smith and T.J. McConnell, I am beginning to truly enjoy what I see from them.  Okafor and Noel seem to be figuring it out.  More correctly stated, McConnell seems to have figured it out for them.