Nick Nurse, 76ers Erasing Negative Energy in Philadelphia
When Nick Nurse began as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, the fan base wasn’t in the mood to speak positively about their team. The Boston Celtics had just eliminated the Sixers from the playoffs for the third time in six seasons.
Brett Brown and Doc Rivers had both failed to climb a second-round mountain that looked insurmountable. The James Harden offseason saga then took its toll on a franchise in desperate need of a turnaround.
Since Daryl Morey sent James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers, the pendulum has swung back in the Sixers’ favor.
Nick Nurse
The former Toronto coach’s book “Rapture” describes the value of a coach who works “above the chaos of the game” to create team chemistry. The Sixers have seen chaos in its purest form over the past decade. However, a strong start to the 2023-24 season has calmed the storm.
Nurse has developed a strong bench rotation after the addition of Nicolas Batum and the return of Kelly Oubre Jr. While 76ers fans will inevitably wait until the playoffs to judge the new head coach, Nurse has provided the type leadership and stability in leadership that the organization needed.
Doc Rivers came to Philadelphia with a championship ring to his credit also. However, his casual willingness to compare himself to Gregg Popovich, one of the top NBA coaches in history, was an appropriate microcosm of his misguided attitude during three seasons in Philadelphia.
76ers fans have welcomed the change to Nick Nurse, at least during the current honeymoon period.
The Sixers are off to a 7-1 start to the new season, and these two are noticeably missing.@ConnorThomas975 has a question.
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) November 11, 2023
Who are you more happy to see gone?
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📸Ron Jenkins/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/5aVcGA3m2f
Joel Embiid
Nik Stauskas and Bob Cooney spoke about Joel Embiid on Sixers in 60. The thought that the reigning NBA MVP could take his game to a new level sounds unlikely. However, look at the 2023-24 version of the 7-footer from Cameroon.
“He makes it look so easy. It’s the combination of the power and the finesse, the inside and the outside game. We’ve never really seen anything like it.” -Nik Stauskas
Daryl Morey spoke on The John Kincade Show about his MVP center’s performance.
“For Joel, he loves adding things to his game. This year, because of the changes and because of all his offseason work and Nick Nurse and the new teammates, he’s coming to work excited that he’s showing more of his versatility. He’s really thriving in that, and it shows up on the defensive end too.” -Daryl Morey
Last year Joel Embiid led the league in scoring and won the MVP. But has he been even better this season? pic.twitter.com/azFT25YJyR
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) December 13, 2023
Tyrese Maxey
The discourse about NBA roster-building undersells players like Tyrese Maxey. There is a constant emphasis on acquiring available superstars looking for a change of scenery or drafting in the top five to find a franchise building block. Enter Maxey.
The former Kentucky Wildcat has taken monumental steps forward, especially on the offensive end, in each of his four NBA seasons. His speed to the basket has given the Sixers a legitimate scoring option behind Joel Embiid, and his scoring average has steadily increased.
- 2020-21: 8.0 PPG
- 2021-22: 17.5 PPG
- 2022-23: 20.3 PPG
- 2023-24 (22 games): 26.1 PPG
“It’s all credit to his work. He puts in so much time in the gym on ball-handling, on finishing, on shooting, on defense, everything. It’s been a joy to watch.” -Daryl Morey
The Sixers drafted Maxey with the 21st-overall pick in 2020. He overtook Ben Simmons when the playoffs came around after his rookie season. He’s survived the Harden experiment. Philadelphia might’ve found the draft steal that contradicts the book on roster construction in the NBA.
“I think he’s going to be one these guys who’s in Philadelphia forever and one of these beloved players who goes on the pantheon of Philadelphia sports heroes.” -Daryl Morey
The Sixers find themselves in striking distance of one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference after their recent four-game winning streak. They won’t stop hearing about five second-round playoff exits in six seasons until they reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2001.
Most fans won’t truly believe until they see the Sixers advance. However, they’re welcoming the positivity of a strong start to the 2023-24 season.
97.5 The Fanatic, the flagship radio partner of the Philadelphia 76ers, provides news, analysis, and outlook on the hometown team.
Meet the 2023-24 Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid
It’s no secret that the 76ers will depend on Joel Embiid. The 7-footer out of Cameroon has outdone his own career high in scoring in three consecutive seasons, and he finally earned his first NBA MVP for the 2022-23 season. The continued improvement is a testament to his ability to continue adding tools to his arsenal to find his highest potential.
However, it’s also no secret that playoff success is the real focus. Embiid hasn’t helped his team advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, and the fact of the matter supercedes all individual accomplishments in the minds of most 76ers fans.
Tyrese Maxey
The Sixers found the steal of the 2020 NBA Draft when they selected the guard out of Kentucky with the 21st-overall pick. Maxey has improved consistently throughout his NBA career, and he must take the next step by improving at the defensive end of the floor. He will reach stardom as a 20+ point scorer who shoots over 40% from three-point range if he can overcome the label as a defensive liability.
Tobias Harris
Harris has shown incredible ability at points during his 12-year NBA career. However, his season averages in scoring has dropped in each of his four full seasons in Philadelphia. He has room to reemerge as a bigger offensive focus in an era when excellent wing players dominate the NBA.
De’Anthony Melton
Melton didn’t get the most attention during his first season in Philadelphia in 2022-23, but he proved himself as a key part of the franchise’s future. The former second-round pick averaged double figures last season, and he’s made Daryl Morey look excellent for fleecing the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade in June 2022.
Paul Reed
An offer sheet from the Utah Jazz spelled the end for Paul Reed in Philadelphia. However, the Sixers dug deeper into the wallet to keep their young big man. Reed played an expanded role in the 2023 playoffs. His ability to play the 4 position with Joel Embiid on the floor will go a long way to determine the amount of playing time he’ll get under Nick Nurse.
Mo Bamba
Bamba played 275 games for the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers in five NBA seasons before signing with 76ers in July. He attended Westtown School in West Chester before going to the University of Texas to play college ball. The Magic drafted him with the sixth-overall pick in 2018.
Patrick Beverly
The Sixers are looking for Patrick Beverly as the veteran guard off the bench who adds experience and intangible value. The 35-year-old has earned three selections to the NBA All-Defensive Team. He’s played key minutes in 65 playoff games with the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers.
Kelly Oubre Jr.
The Sixers signed Kelly Oubre Jr. to a one-year deal this offseason. The 6-foot-7 wing took hold of an opportunity for more offensive focus on a struggling Charlotte Hornets team in 2022-23 when he averaged a career-high 20.3 points. He has averaged in double figures in six consecutive seasons, but he is best fitted for a bench role on a contending team.
Jaden Springer
The Sixers drafted Springer with the 28th-overall pick in 2021. He’s played 18 NBA games in his first two seasons, and he hasn’t yet become a contributor in key minutes. The 6-foot-4 guard will scratch and claw to earn his minutes. The fluid situation with James Harden could leave things up for grabs in the backcourt.
Furkan Korkmaz
While fans and media have called to replace Korkmaz seemingly every season in recent memory, the Turkish shooting guard is entering his seventh season in Philadelphia. His scoring average has decreased in four consecutive seasons, and he might not have a long leash with a spot on the bench at age 26 if he doesn’t work into a role as a bigger contributor than he was in 2022-23.
Danuel House Jr.
The Sixers dished out $8.4 million on a two-year contract for House entering the 2022-23 season as part of a roster overhaul that included a heavy focus on players with experience under Daryl Morey with the Houston Rockets. He played a minimal role by the time the playoffs came around, but he ended up providing a little bit of a spark off the bench in the second round against the Boston Celtics. Nurse will see what the 30-year-old journeyman has left in the tank.
Robert Covington
He became a polarizing microcosm of The Process during his first stint in Philadelphia from 2014-18. The 32-year-old has grown into an experienced NBA journeyman who’s spent time with five different NBA teams. He earned NBA All-Defensive Team honors for the 2017-18 season.
KJ Martin
The 22-year-old KJ Martin averaged 12.7 points for the Houston Rockets in 2022-23. He is the only player the Sixers acquired in the James Harden trade who might have a legitimate long-term upside. Nick Nurse will determine the rotation as the team develops an identity with a lot of question marks about their future.
Nicolas Batum
Batum hasn’t averaged in double figures since the 2017-18 season with the Charlotte Hornets. The 6-foot-8 guard will have to carve out a role for a team that acquired him more for his expiring contract than his skill set on the floor. He has more than enough NBA experience to find a way to do that.
Marcus Morris Sr.
Daryl Morey acquired Philadelphia native Marcus Morris Sr. days after the season opener. The James Harden deal wasn’t about improving the Sixers in the short term, however. His value in the trade had to do with an annual salary of over $17 million coming off the books after the 2023-24 season.
Azuolas Tubelis
The Sixers loaded up on big men with no expectation for Montrezl Harrell to contribute in 2023-24. Tubelis spent three years as a major contributor at Arizona. He’s another young big man from overseas looking to make a name for himself at the NBA level.
Javonte Smart
Smart is playing on a two-way contract. He will almost certainly have to manage more bus trips down to Wilmington and earn his way into Nick Nurse’s rotation. The LSU graduate played short stints with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat before the Sixers signed him.
Terquavion Smith
Rookie guard Terquavion Smith played two years at NC State. The Sixers signed him on a two-year contract on July 1. His 165-pound frame isn’t ideal for the NBA, but he averaged 17.9 points for a team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season.
