Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse addressed each late-game execution and roster uncertainty after a 113-102 loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday night time at Toyota Heart. The defeat got here as Philadelphia continues its push for playoff positioning within the Japanese Convention.
Nurse additionally confirmed he had restricted info relating to Joel Embiid following surgical procedure. “Nope, not but. Not but,” Nurse stated when requested for updates. “Reached out to him a little bit bit. We’ll see. In all probability speak to him a little bit bit later.”
He added that the medical particulars had been nonetheless unclear from his perspective. “I don’t presently. I in all probability have some extra info for you pregame tomorrow,” Nurse stated when requested concerning the process.
The 76ers briefly confirmed life within the fourth quarter, chopping into a big Houston lead with a robust scoring run. Nurse pointed to a lineup change and improved execution as the important thing shift.
“Simply the principle downside we had tonight was caring for the ball and so they lower the turnovers down and we began making some pictures,” Nurse stated.
He emphasised that Philadelphia’s early errors formed the end result lengthy earlier than the closing minutes. “First half was simply turnovers, proper?” Nurse stated. “It was actually uncharacteristic of us to try this.”
Nurse defined that a lot of these turnovers got here with out heavy strain, which made the possession losses extra expensive. “We had been simply form of beating a man down the lane and the following factor you understand the ball was squirting up within the air,” he stated.
The Rockets repeatedly turned these errors into fast-break factors. Nurse described these possessions as decisive in constructing the halftime hole. “They scored on nearly everybody if not everybody,” he stated. “It’s choose six on these. And that’s simply your 20 level distinction on the half proper there.”
Philadelphia’s fourth-quarter push was fueled by higher ball management and improved shot-making, notably from Quentin Grimes and the bench unit. Nurse stated that group deserved prolonged minutes resulting from its affect.
“Yep. They had been rolling,” Nurse stated when requested about sticking with the lineup that sparked the comeback try.
The Sixers trimmed the deficit to single digits late, however Houston responded with key three-pointers to close the door. Nurse acknowledged the hassle however famous the missed alternative.
“They bought it I believe we bought it to seven,” Nurse stated. “In all probability ought to have been six there with about 3 minutes to go after which they answered with a pair threes.”
Wanting forward, Nurse harassed urgency because the common season nears its conclusion. “We simply bought to recover from it as a result of the video games are right here,” he stated. “As soon as the ball goes up we bought to zero in on enjoying nice workforce basketball.”
Philadelphia now shifts focus to its subsequent matchup, whereas Embiid’s standing stays a central storyline transferring ahead.
