標籤: Nurse

While it seems like the entire basketball world knows that Tyrese Maxey is the best player on the Philadelphia 76ers, Nick Nurse clearly doesn’t, and his decision to let his veteran lead in Game 3 vs. the New York Knicks may cost him his job next week.

On Friday night, the 76ers were in position to win. They lost 2-0 in their semifinal series against the Knicks and had to deal with an atmosphere at Xfinity Mobile Arena that seemed to have just as many, if not more, New York fans. Still, Nurse had the horses to pull out a win and escape a 3-0 hole, especially with Joel Embiid back on the field.

There’s no doubt the 76ers are in a better position with Embiid on the floor. The seven-time All-Star commands respect on both sides of the court, even in this diminished version. However, the 2025-26 season confirmed an undeniable fact: Maxi is and should always be the No. 1 option on offense. Yet somehow the Sixers head coach hasn’t gotten the memo.

Where was Tyrese Maxey Friday night?

In addition to being the fifth-highest per-game scorer in the NBA this season, Nurse had enough evidence to focus on Maxey in Game 3, especially against the Knicks. The two teams split their four games during the regular season, and Games 1 and 2 of this series were very different.

With Embiid being the focal point in the opener, he got blown out for 40 points. With Embiid sidelined and Maxey moving on, Game 2 was close the entire time, and over-utilization of its starters was likely the difference between victory and defeat on Wednesday. As good a defense as the Knicks have, Maxi gives them the same problems he does the rest of the NBA. He is a wonderful blend of lightning speed and cunning.

This is Tyrese Maxey’s team now. Still, in the most important game of the 2025-26 season, Nurse wanted his 76ers to play like they did in 2022-23.

On Friday night, the two-time All-Star led not only the 76ers, but all players with 44 in Game 3. Yet, in the most bizarre statistic of the night, he took the fourth-most shots on his team. Paul George looked like he was 36 as he led the team with 18 shots, Embiid had 17 and Kelly Oubre — who averaged just 10 a game during the season — tallied 16 on Friday. Maxi had 12 shots in Game 3.

Nick Nurse loses his 76ers job in Game 3 vs. Knicks

Furthermore, it was clear that neither George nor Embiid were on a heater at halftime, as they were both outscored by Oubre on Friday as he led the 76ers with 22 points in a 108-94 loss to the Knicks in Game 3.

It’s baffling that as soon as the Knicks took control of the game in the second quarter, Nurse did not pull his team to the bench and demand an offensive run through Maxi, their best player and scorer.

Maxi can certainly take some blame for not asserting himself and demanding the ball. But he’s still only 25, and it’s no surprise he’d take on a pair of NBA greats in a big game. This is where Nurse must show the courage and leadership to engage his veterans in this instance to do what is best for the team.

Nurse was already feeling some heat in his third season as head coach of the 76ers. However, his coaching in Game 3 proves that – barring a history-breaking comeback to win this series – he is not the guy to take this team to the next level and will be out as head coach next week.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

當費城 76 人隊為常規賽決賽做準備時，一個故事情節已成為人們關注的焦點：VJ Edgecombe 的迅速崛起。在剛以 105-94 擊敗印第安納步行者隊後，主教練尼克·納斯在賽後評價中毫不猶豫。他以驚人的清晰度強調了這位年輕後衛的成長。

「我認為他在一對一進攻方面取得了進步，」納斯說。考慮到利害關係，這項聲明很有分量。在費城需要穩定的比賽中，艾奇科姆表現得鎮定自若。他在 40 分鐘內得到 16 分、9 個籃板和 3 次搶斷。他創造自己投籃機會的能力曾經被認為是一個發展領域，現在已經成為一種合法的武器。隨著季後賽的臨近，納斯的讚揚標誌著信任的不斷增強。

“我認為他在一對一進攻方面取得了進步。”

尼克·納斯對這位新秀表達了一些愛。 | @起亞 pic.twitter.com/iJnJNDr1ix

— NBC 費城體育頻道 (@NBCSPhilly) 2026 年 4 月 11 日

Edgecombe 的 2025-26 年活動是對一致性和成長的研究。在先發陣容中，他扮演了雙向角色。這融合了得分、籃板和防守幹擾。這位3號秀場均得到16.1分，在不斷擴大進攻武器庫的同時，在防守端也保持著旺盛的精力。他在對陣印第安納的比賽中的表現體現了這種平衡。他對比賽的影響超出了得分範圍，並強化了他成為納斯輪換陣容中不可或缺的原因。

與此同時，費城繼續在擁擠的東部聯盟中爭奪位置。 76人隊以44-37獲勝。他們憑藉著泰瑞斯·馬克西（32分）和保羅·喬治（21分）的強勁表現，穩居第八位。隨著安德烈·德拉蒙德控制籃板球和小凱利·烏布雷及時得分，球隊似乎正在恢復節奏。對密爾瓦基公鹿隊還剩一場比賽。然而，更大的前景是明確的：如果76人隊想要在季後賽中大放異彩，埃奇科姆的持續上升可能會成為改變的因素。

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse had a positive update to share about Paul George as the veteran star returns from suspension this season.

George has been on the sidelines for the second half of the season due to a 25-game suspension. The NBA suspended the star forward for failing a drug test, forcing Philadelphia to play without one of its key players.

George has not played a game since January 29, which suggests he has been out for almost two months. Nurse provided an update on George’s activity, revealing when fans can expect his eventual return this season.

“He’s worked hard… that’s what I’ll say. He’s prepared hard… I don’t expect any ramp-up problems at all,” Nurse said.

“He’s worked hard… that’s what I’ll say. He’s prepared hard… I don’t expect any kind of rush.”

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse on Paul George’s return to action on Wednesday following his 25-match suspension.

(via @NBCPhilly)pic.twitter.com/9TvqD0l70c

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 23 March 2026

What’s next for 76-year-old Nick Nurse?

Nick Nurse and the 76ers will look to the return of Paul George this week, especially on Wednesday. The team is 16-11 with him and 23-22 without him. In the 25 games he missed due to suspension, Philadelphia went 13–12.

George remains strong as a veteran star as he goes through the 16th season of his career, his second with the 76ers. In the 27 games he is playing, he is averaging 16 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He is shooting 42.4% from the field, including 38.2% from beyond the arc, and 85.5% from the free-throw line.

Philadelphia fell to a 39–33 record on the season, and finished seventh in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, while trailing the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors.

After their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, the 76ers will look to bounce back in their next game at home. They will host the Chicago Bulls as tip-off takes place on March 25 at 7 PM ET.

While fans have seen Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCann play some great basketball in his second season, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse isn’t surprised by it. To most NBA fans, the somewhat crowded backcourt resulted in McCann’s departure, leading 76ers fans to question Nurse’s approach amid a difficult season.

McCain working his way back from two injuries slowly gaining momentum With the 76ers before his trade to the Thunder, Nurse explained, according to PHLY Sixers.

The nurse said, “Coming up on 7-for-11 night. He was still dragging the knee brace around for a long time and recovering from an arm injury. I think he was affected by it physically for a long time, but I thought he was coming out of it.” “I was hoping he would start getting back to his big, crazy nights where he can really step up and score a lot.”

With a season-high 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 5-of-9 from deep, McCann helped lead the Thunder to a 121–92 victory against the Brooklyn Nets before the defending champions extended their winning streak to 11. The Thunder defeated the Washington Wizards 132-111 on Saturday.

McCann has shot a combined 14-30 from beyond the 3-point arc in his last four contests, hitting four threes en route to 18 points in the Thunder’s win against the Wizards.

Jared McCann on the 76ers’ approach versus the Thunder

Following the recent second-year guard’s election offense, fans questioned 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey over Jared McCann’s trade to the Thunder. One of the few similarities McCann mentioned about the Thunder is how 76ers head coach Nick Nurse uses Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to guide his offense.

For McCain, he sees equal two-man game According to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman, he said, between himself and Thunder All-Stars Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams.

“It’s crazy. When I was in Philly, Joel used to do this with Tyrese, and I was like, ‘Dang, it’s really cool out there,'” McCain said. “So it’s really fun to be able to be a part of it. Playing with Hart, J-Will and Chet, they’re all elite legends. I’m excited to play with them.”

Jared McCain asked if he had played with a big man who could make the screening a major play, like Isaiah Hartenstein:

“It’s crazy. When I was in Philly, I used to do this with Joel Tyrese and I was like ‘Dang, it’s really cool there.’ So to be able to be a part of it… pic.twitter.com/vTsyiC1P4u

– Justin Martinez (@Justintohoops) 17 March 2026

The 76ers will try to snap the Thunder’s 11-game winning streak on Monday.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has missed his team’s last eight games with a right oblique strain. With the 76ers battling for a playoff position, head coach Nick Nurse said the star big man participated in individual on-court workouts on Friday. He said Embiid could return during Philadelphia’s three-game road trip next week.

“He came out yesterday. Obviously not with the team, but he came out for an individual workout. He’s feeling a little better,” Nurse said Saturday before Philadelphia’s 104-97 win over the Brooklyn Nets. “I don’t want to anticipate anything, but I think there’s a possibility [him returning on our upcoming road trip]. Hopefully, he can.”

The 76ers are struggling to avoid the Eastern Conference play-in tournament amid injuries to Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre and suspensions for Paul George.

Joel Embiid nears return from long absence for playoff hopeful 76ers

Philadelphia is 3-5 during Embiid’s latest absence. Meanwhile, Maxi is expected to be out for at least three weeks with a tendon injury in his right pinky. Oubre will be out for at least two weeks with a left elbow sprain, while George is eligible to return from his suspension on March 25.

The 76ers’ recent cold snap has dropped them to eighth place in the Eastern Conference. They are two games behind the sixth-place Miami Heat, 1.5 games behind the seventh-place Toronto Raptors and half a game behind the ninth-place Atlanta Hawks.

Embiid has appeared in only 33 games this season while battling knee, ankle, calf and oblique injuries. The former MVP is averaging 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists on .495/.318/.858 shooting splits.

Philadelphia is 21-12 in games Embiid has played and 15-19 in games he has missed.

Nick Nurse provided a promising outlook on Tyrese Maxey’s injury after the Philadelphia 76ers’ loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.

Maxi suffered an injury in the last minute of the game. The star guard injured his hand with 16 seconds remaining, raising questions about his availability for the next few games.

Nurse reflected on the events after the game via SixersWire. He knows how important it will be to deal with their injuries, including Maxi’s situation.

“Apparently, it’s huge, right?” the nurse told reporters. “Especially with what we’re going through right now, with some guys being out, and obviously, he’s just another key player, but we’ll see. We’ll see. I won’t make any decisions or think about it until we find out for sure.”

“You don’t want something like this to happen,” the nurse concluded. “Guys often get hit hands, jammed fingers and all kinds of things. So, let’s hope that’s the case.”

Nick Nurse, how the 76ers performed against the Hawks

Nick Nurse and the 76ers will have to make their case if Tyrese Maxey misses time with a hand injury. Their 125-116 loss to the Hawks didn’t help matters either.

Four players, including Maxey, scored in double figures for Philadelphia in the loss. Before the injury, he finished with a stat line of 31 points, five assists, four steals and two rebounds. He made 12 of 22 shots from the field, including 3 of 7 from beyond the arc and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Quentin Grimes came next with 26 points and six rebounds, Kelly Oubre Jr. put up 24 points and five rebounds, while Trendon Watford added 10 points and two assists.

Philadelphia fell to a 34–29 record on the season, and finished eighth in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets, while falling behind the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.

The 76ers will look to bounce back in their next game by remaining on the road. They will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 9, tip-off at 7 PM ET.

The Philadelphia 76ers went into Wednesday night’s matchup against the Utah Jazz missing almost their entire starting lineup, but thanks to an unexpected hero they walked away with a gritty 106-102 victory. While Tyrese Maxey handled the heavy lifting with 25 points, it was Jabari Walker’s breakout performance that caught everyone’s attention and ultimately gave head coach Nick Nurse a reason to smile.

Walker was a force off the bench, tallying a massive double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. He was efficient from the floor, making 7 of 12 shots overall and an impressive 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. It was the kind of performance the 76ers desperately needed with Joel Embiid, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe sidelined.

After the game, Nurse explained that Walker’s sudden increase in minutes was no accident. “We’re trying to get him to play like that. Because he’s like, and I’ve said this a lot before, like he’s a really good shooter, you just have to get used to the feeling of the NBA and be good enough to pull the trigger on them and be much better in his last few games and he’s just running.”

“We’re trying to inspire him to play the same way.”

Nick Nurse discusses what Jabari Walker brings to the table. | @kia pic.twitter.com/GvXflmD5ap

– NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) 5 March 2026

Perhaps the most intriguing part of Walker’s rise is his own explanation for his high-motor style. When asked about his emotional nature and hustle dramas, Walker offered a hilarious self-assessment, claiming that people who know him know he is “really kind of crazy”. He joked that there was “something really wrong” with him, but that energy clearly translated onto the court as he helped Philadelphia avoid a two-game losing streak.

The win also included 16 points from Quentin Grimes and a clutch follow-dunk from Adem Bona that tied the game late. For a 76ers team struggling to maintain their playoff position, finding a reliable bench weapon like Walker could be a ray of hope for an injury-plagued week.

To say that the Philadelphia 76ers’ NBC “Throwback Night” showdown against the San Antonio Spurs did not go as planned would be an understatement.

Taking the court to Joel Embiid, Paul George and eventually VJ Edgecombe, who exited at halftime after a hard fall from fellow rookie Carter Bryant, the 76ers trailed the Spurs by 38 seconds in the game and never recovered, losing 78–53 at halftime and finishing with a certified blowout 131–91.

What happened? How did the 76ers, even with a depleted personnel, allow a game against a potential NBA Finals opponent to get so far away from them? Well, Nick Nurse tried to break it up, even if he didn’t realize it.

“I thought we were doing a good job of finding shots. I thought it was taking some time, and I kept saying that in the timeouts. The open shots aren’t coming as fast as they did last night, but they’re still there, you just have to be a little more patient and keep kicking out,” Nurse explained.

“And I thought, for the most part, I mean, obviously, he blocked some guys inside from our bigs. But I thought, other than that, we were doing a good job out there for a while. And then we just couldn’t; they made a lot of turnovers. Really, defensively the second quarter was really bad. Obviously, they were really rolling, hitting a lot of threes, getting to the rim. There was no resistance defensively.”

On offense, the 76ers were borderline destructive, with Tyrese Maxey outscoring the rest of Philadelphia’s starters 21–10, while only two other players, Jabari Walker and Cam Payne, managed to reach double figures. Sure, Embiid, PG13, and, for half of the game, Edgecombe, weren’t available, but when rotation players like Quentin Grimes, Dominic Barlow, Trendon Watford, Adem Bona, and Justin Edwards combined for just 26 points, the 76ers aren’t going to win many, if any, games, even if they lock in and play elite defense.

Nick Nurse discusses the impact of Victor Wembanyama and what went wrong in Tuesday night’s defeat to Spurs. | @kia pic.twitter.com/6G1OqhprvL

– NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) 4 March 2026

Nick Nurse explains why the Philadelphia 76ers faltered in their disappointing loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.

Nurse is in the eighth year of his head coaching career, his third year with the 76ers. He has kept the franchise stable while developing a young and emerging backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, keeping them in the playoff picture this season. However, the team performs poorly in some of its contests, most notably its latest loss to the Pelicans.

Nurse reflected on the loss after the game, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. He pointed to the shooting struggles from beyond the arc, noting how New Orleans took advantage of Philadelphia’s woes.

“We went 3-of-24 from three; Was quite difficult, wasn’t it?” The nurse said.

The Sixers faltered offensively and defensively in the matchup with the Pelicans, where Nick Nurse broke down. | @kia pic.twitter.com/4fw89F9u27

– NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) 22 February 2026

Nick Nurse, how the 76ers performed against the Pelicans

Nick Nurse and the 76ers have the talent to make a splash in the playoffs. However, their loss to the Pelicans shows they still have work to do to reach the next stage.

Four players, including Maxey, scored in double figures for Philadelphia in the loss. He finished with a stat line of 27 points, seven assists, five steals and three rebounds. He shot 9 of 23 from the field, including 2 of 11 from beyond the arc and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line. Kelly Oubre Jr. was next with 25 points and five rebounds, VJ Edgecombe had 14 points and five rebounds, while Quentin Grimes added 11 points and three assists.

Philadelphia improved to a 30–26 record on the season and finished sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, while trailing the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers.

After four consecutive losses, the 76ers will look to get back into the win column in their next match. They remain on the road when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 22nd at 7pm ET.