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Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Philadelphia 76ers – 11/23/15 National Basketball Association Pick, Odds, and

“I didn’t want to lose”.

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Wiggins got hot, Okafor couldn’t get the ball and Noel was on the bench. When we did get Jahlil the ball I thought we were static and slow.

Defensive pressure was the focus for coach Brett Brown from the outset; Adreian Payne was forced to use a timeout to start the quarter because he couldn’t get the ball inbounds. Wiggins ended the game with 32 points. Sometimes that only comes with a win. “I’m going to get him the basketball”. He’s earned my respect. “We have been in games and we put ourselves in position to win”.

Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel haven’t figured out how to co-exist just yet. “It’s not a moral victory. We just were not able to close it out”. “We are doing better, but we’re trying to get our first win”.

“Some of my teammates had good shots, they just missed”, Okafor said after his 25-point, 12-rebound effort. Behind all of the hoopla, the forgotten man was Andrew Wiggins, who closed the quarter strong with Kevin Garnett to finish the half with a manageable deficit of 52-46.

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The Sixers made enough shots early, though, building a lead as large as 13 points in the second quarter. He led all rebounders with nine, and Philly hit five 3-pointers in the half. With the loss, Minnesota drops to 5-8 on the season and 0-6 at home, which is the second-worst start at home in franchise history. In every way, this game shows the value of Okafor for the Sixers. “I respect where they’re at”. Defensively they were fantastic and we just had a hard time finding a shot. “It’s a challenge, especially right now, but we’re comfortable where we’re at.”… He had pretty much planned on it. But a foot injury to Joel Embiid ruined those plans, and the 76ers are now-top heavy at center, while Wiggins is in Minnesota, teaming with Towns and a nice mix of veterans surrounding him in Kevin Garnett, Andre Miller and Tayshaun Prince. Minnesota concludes its current three-game homestand on Wednesday, hosting the Atlanta Hawks…. Philadelphia, which is in the midst of a six-game road trip, next heads to Boston for a Wednesday night meeting with the Celtics.

Sixers' coach considering having Noel, Okafor swap positions