On the Beat: Noel Feeling “Great” as Team Readies for Road Trip

PHILADELPHIA – Nerlens Noel’s presence on the court was a welcomed sight for the Sixers on Wednesday night, as the team regrouped for the first time following the NBA All-Star Game break.  Last Wednesday, right knee tendinitis caused the second-year power forward missed the Sixers’ final contest before their six-day hiatus.  A precautionary decision was also made to hold him out of Friday’s BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge in Toronto.”I feel good,” said Noel, who went through the Sixers’ 90-minute workout at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. “That was a good rest period.  I got off my feet and was able to just relax.  I feel great.”  A starter who averages just under 30 minutes per game, Noel admitted that players sometimes lose track of the importance of rest over the course of a long season.”Exactly,” said Noel.   “It’s a big part of recovery, when you come back you feel fresh, you feel rejuvenated.  It helps you mentally as well, when your body feels good and you’re able to move around with a pep in your step.”Now, back on the floor with his teammates, Noel described a focused practice setting on Wednesday. He and the Sixers began making preparations for the start of a two-game road trip, which gets underway on Friday.  “Just making sure we got back to our basic principles, especially on the offensive end of playing with pace, and executing in the halfcourt set,” he said.  “The main problem we had the first half of the season was executing in the fourth quarter.  We took care of what we had to with that.  The guys are feeling good, so we’re going to go into New Orleans with a good mindset.”Noel is averaging 10.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season.  The two figures represent career-high marks.  He’s tied for 11th in the league with 1.6 blocked shots per outing, and ranks eighth among all players with a 53.3 field goal percentage.