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The Sixers were staring at a second straight home win over a playoff-bound team on Wednesday and then it all disappeared. They let Aaron Brooks get loose just long enough hit a monster three-pointer with 33.2 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 92. Isaiah Canaan and Luc Mbah a Moute both had opportunities to win it for the Sixers in the final seconds but failed to convert. The Sixers had little left for overtime, as they were outscored 12-3 to suffer a 104-95 loss (see Instant Replay) . "He was wide open," Brown said of Mbah a Moute's final shot in regulation, which clanged off the rim. "He had struggled in the game, but I thought there was enough time -- eight seconds -- which Luc could look to shoot it. I would back him shooting that mid-range shot to win a game 10 times out of 10." Brooks led all scorers with 31 points. Pau Gasol scored 27 points and grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds. With Joakim Noah joining the long list of Bulls players sitting out, the Sixers still chose to attack mainly from the outside. Of their 104 shot attempts, 41 of them came from three-point range with the Sixers making 11 on the night. "We had 46 points in the paint attacking the Chicago Bulls," Brown said. "A lot of our threes came because we did that, drove and kicked out. At first you would say that [41 three-point attempts] is a very large number. It might be, but Brown doesn't feel that number is what cost the Sixers the game. The coach believes 13 was the biggest difference on this night. That's how many missed free throws the Sixers had against the Bulls. "I don't think that is where the game was lost," Brown said. "I think when you shoot 12 for 25 at the free throw line and concede a half-court shot at the end of a period. Plus, you have to shake Aaron Brooks' hand after he makes that tough shot getting the game to overtime. Combine those types of unusual circumstances, and you put yourself in a bad position to win any close game." Nerlens Noel was unable to close out the game for the Sixers. The rookie, who had to battle with Gasol in the paint all night, fouled out with 28 seconds left in OT. He finished the game with eight points, 15 rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Noel also found his footing defensively as the game went along, limiting Gasol's damage after a 14-point, six-rebound opening quarter. "It was physical," Noel said. "However a game is being called, we are going to play. It was physical both ways. We just have to keep scrapping for loose balls and just playing ball." "I thought there were difficult decisions on some of his steals and blocked shots," Brown said. "I thought at the end of the game Nerlens got fatigued. Aaron went at him a little in pick-and-rolls, but overall I thought Nerlens had a hell of a game." Noel played 36 minutes before fouling out. Brown was reluctant to rest the big man because he has come to find a certain comfort level with him that just isn't there with the Sixers' other frontcourt players like Henry Sims, Furkan Aldemir and Thomas Robinson. "I feel like Nerlens, for us, is better. I feel like his protection at the rim, and him being with me now two years, one off the court and one on the court. I think he gives us our best chance to win," Brown said. "There is a tiny element that you want to feature him in those situations, but he has shown over the past few weeks how dominant he can be at the rim." Noel will get another chance to show how dominant he can be when the Sixers continue their five-game homestand against All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins and the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. - Dei Lynam, CSN Philly, NBC Sports
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