5 Silver Linings from Philadelphia 76ers' 1st Week of Another Bleak Season

As expected, the Philadelphia 76ers opened the 2014-15 season with three straight losses against the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat. 

But focusing on the negatives with this team is way too easy. 

Which is why it's time to flip the narrative and focus on the incremental strides Philadelphia made during an opening week that saw the Sixers put forth three commendable efforts against superior Eastern Conference foes. 

Whether it was Nerlens Noel displaying flashes of brilliance as an interior defender or Tony Wroten posting encouraging numbers in place of the injured Michael Carter-Williams, there were several silver linings worth highlighting following the team's first three games. 

All statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and current as of Sunday, November 2 unless noted otherwise. 

Alexey Shved's Encouraging Debut

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When the Philadelphia 76ers dealt Thaddeus Young to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the primary motivation revolved around obtaining yet another first-round pick. 

And while general manager Sam Hinkie accomplished his long-term goal by snagging the Miami Heat's 2015 top-10 protected first-round selection (via Cleveland), the immediate payoff may be slightly greater than originally anticipated. 

Not only did Hinkie acquire the pick, but he landed the expiring contracts of veterans Alexey Shved and Luc Mbah a Moute, as well. 

A combo guard with a 35.8 career shooting percentage, Shved looked like nothing more than unappetizing additive in a trade that was about building for the future. 

However, as Sixers head coach Brett Brown told CSN Philly, Shved can be relied on to do much more than score the ball:

"

He’s clever with the ball. And I also think he’s a very clever passer. He’s big enough to see over things and pick off rotations and how people rotate on pick-and-rolls. I’ve seen him so much internationally, long before he came to the United States, and [he was] this long guard that is just really elusive and kind of skilled with the ball.

"

In his debut against the Indiana Pacers, Shved exceeded expectations, scoring 18 points on 5-of-11 shooting (3-of-6 from three) in 24 minutes. 

The offerings won't always be steady (as exemplified by his three-point outing Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks), but Shved can help provide relief on a second unit devoid of veteran playmakers.

Forcing Turnovers at a Steady Clip

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The Philadelphia 76ers are going to rely on their defense to generate offense, and the team's first three games have confirmed as much. 

Following Saturday's loss to the Miami Heat, the Sixers rank fifth in steals (9.3 per game) and fifth in blocks (6.7 per game), which has helped them accrue 16 fast-break points per game, according to TeamRankings.com. 

In fact, the Sixers have five players (Tony Wroten, Hollis Thompson, Brandon Davies, Chris Johnson and Luc Mbah a Moute) averaging better than one steal following the season's opening week. 

As a result, the Sixers have forced opponents into 18.3 turnovers per game and 55 total, good for No. 4 overall. 

For a team that's shooting a ghastly 41.7 percent from the field, it's going to take a steady dose of turnovers and fast-break points to remain competitive for a full 48 minutes. 

Lack of Blowouts

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Wins have been elusive, but the Philadelphia 76ers have remained a very competitive team throughout the first three quarters of each contest. 

Yes, the Sixers' margin of defeat sits at 14, but they entered the fourth quarter of Friday's contest against the Milwaukee Bucks leading by one and entered the final frame trailing the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat by five and four points, respectively. 

Following the Sixers' loss to the Bucks, center Henry Sims discussed the strides his team has made in terms of remaining competitive for a full 48 minutes.  

"When I got here last year, the point where we are now took us to the last 12, 15 games [of the season]," Sims said, according to Philly.com's Keith Pompey. "So even though . . . it kind of fell off toward the end of the game, we play more consistently."

Wins will be few and far between, but if the Sixers can continue demonstrating growth from a competitive standpoint, they'll quickly start garnering more respect league-wide.

Nerlens Noel's Rim Protection

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As a rim protector, Nerlens Noel has been as good as advertised. 

By swatting three shots in each of his first two professional games, Noel became just the sixth player since 1985 to accomplish that feat, according to NBA.com's Max Rappaport. 

While it was easy to salivate over his bounce and length during the preseason, Noel's offerings in the restricted area have been beyond encouraging in meaningful action. 

Take Friday's game against Milwaukee, for example. 

"Noel played 35 minutes Friday against the Bucks, and he was a sight to see, fast and springy on his feet, giving those glimpses that showed why the Sixers had been willing to trade an all-star guard in Jrue Holiday for him, then wait a year from him to heal," the Philadelphia Inquirer's Mike Sielski wrote. 

Noel's first rejection wasn't your run-of-the-mill denial, either.

While he initially mistimed the block attempt, Noel was able to leap high above the rim, land and then thrust himself back up to the ball's highest point during the time it took Sanders to pump-fake and shoot. 

That's the sort of explosion Philadelphia waited patiently to see. 

The most encouraging note, though, shines a light on Noel's impact even when he isn't blocking shots: According to SportVU player tracking data, Noel has allowed opponents to shoot just 27.3 percent at the rim through three games.

Tony Wroten's Shot Selection

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The absence of a pure shooting stroke feels like it could haunt Tony Wroten's efficiency in perpetuity. 

Fortunately, head coach Brett Brown and the Philadelphia 76ers' analytical minds appear to have drilled that fact into their point guard's head. 

Starting in place of the injured Michael Carter-Williams, Wroten has made a concerted effort to spurn mid- and long-range shots in favor of higher percentage looks. 

According to SportVU player tracking data, Wroten has attempted 76.7 percent of his shots inside of 10 feet through three games and has recorded a conversion rate of 51.5 on such looks. 

While it's admittedly a small sample size, it's worth noting 73.3 percent of Wroten's looks came inside of 10 feet last season, while a combined 26.2 percent of his attempts came in the form of pull-ups or catch-and-shoot opportunities.