A Nick Nurse Quote That Summarizes the Sixers in 2024-25
The Philadelphia 76ers have experienced turmoil, injuries, disappointment, relief, more disappointment, and everything in between during the 2024-25 season.
Head coach Nick Nurse summarized the tumultuous early months of the season.
“We’re not keeping an even enough keel during some games when things are – either way– when things are going really good or things are going really poorly. I think sometimes we get a little too giddy and happy when things are really rolling, and (then) a big lead disappears really fast. I think when things are going poorly, we start just not sticking with what we can do… We need to kind of ride those waves a little more smoothly.” -Nick Nurse
The Sixers limped out of the gates to a 3-14 record in 2024-25. The pendulum swung back (and forth) during a 10-3 stretch after an arbitrary turning point at Thanksgiving.
While Nurse was speaking partly about in-game swings, his metaphor couldn’t have summarized the season more appropriately.
A Chance To Calm The Storm
The disastrous start drove Sixers fans close to a point of insanity. However, an NBA Christmas Day miracle against the Boston Celtics allowed everyone to take a deep breath.
Disney on Ice booted the team from the Wells Fargo Center to the West Coast as part of an additional five road games after the Christmas showcase. The stretch away from home offered the perfect medicine for Nick Nurse and the Sixers to find a better rhythm entering the new year.
The angry sports radio callers who question their every move were more concerned with the Mummers Parade than 10pm tips. Suddenly, injuries and postgame media altercations weren’t crushing the team’s spirits.
Road wins against the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz extended the positive vibes. A clean slate somehow looked realistic with a 13-17 record and beatable opponents still on the schedule.
Sixers Ride The Waves Instead
The Sacramento Kings had just unceremoniously axed head coach Mike Brown. They somehow stole a victory over the careless Sixers in the final minutes on New Year’s Day.
Joel Embiid returned to the floor one day later. His presence didn’t inspire much energy. The Sixers looked flat defensively while the Golden State Warriors ambushed them early and often in a 139-105 rout.
The TNT Halftime Show took over the harsh criticism from back on the East Coast.
“When you are the man of the team, the team follows you, and they do what you do. I have no idea what Joel Embiid is doing. You’re the biggest guy out there, and you’re settling.” -Shaquille O’Neal
A Stretch To Define the 2024-25 Sixers
Why are the Sixers so streaky? Their former MVP has missed games for knee maintenance, rest, suspension, a facial injury, and a foot sprain. He hasn’t’ played more than four games consecutively this season.
The Sixers have a 7-3 record with Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George all in the starting lineup in 2024-25. Matt Murphy pointed out on Sixers All Access that they’re 7-1 in games when their three stars have made it to the final buzzer without injury exits.
However, Nurse admitted another critical flaw of his team on December 13 after his star center suffered a sinus fracture in a loss against the Indiana Pacers.
“It’s (Playing without stars is) not that easy to deal with at times, but we’ve got to do a little better of next man up, and fighting, and pulling together.” –Nick Nurse
The Sixers will face a tough 18-game stretch from January 12 until their final game before NBA All-Star Weekend on February 12.
The schedule includes matchups against all of the current top six seeds in the Eastern Conference. Nurse should expect Embiid to sit at least the six back-to-backs of the 18 and George to miss multiple games also.
How will the Sixers weather the adversity of highs and lows in a month stretch that could determine their NBA Trade Deadline plans and their overall outlook on what was supposed to be a season in championship contention?
“It’s difficult for sure. I think we know who we can be. We’ve seen it. Everybody’s seen it, but it’s hard when we can’t play together all the time… Especially when you get rolling then some of us go out, it’s difficult. It’s the nature of the game. We’ve played what 35 games now, so we’ve got to do it.” -Tyrese Maxey
