Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse highlighted his team’s balance after Saturday night’s 130-119 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
“He obviously hit a bunch of huge shots… even when we get in a little bit of an offensive low, he seemed to come up with a huge three to spark us a little bit,” Nurse said, referring to Tyrese Maxey, who led the team with 36 points.
Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe added 26 points apiece as Nurse emphasized their defensive contributions. “He’s been really alert on that end of the floor, I think, all season. Just keeps getting a little better,” he said of Edgecombe’s ability to create turnovers and disrupt the opposition.
Nurse praised the performance of a smaller lineup early in the second quarter that did not include Maxey or Embiid. “It was important because they got to play a lot more in the second half… that gives those guys certainly rest there,” he said, noting Jared McCain’s extended minutes allowed his stars to stay fresh.
The 76ers’ two-man game remains central to their offense. “They got a lot going on there… a few more rolls for Joel when he keeps getting the conditioning and feeling better, and a few more back cuts for Tyrese, which will just open up some of the outside stuff a little bit more,” Nurse said.
Continuity has been a challenge early this season, but the win reflected progress. “I think the biggest thing is we’re getting some rhythm, a little bit more shape. We ran three games in a row with the same lineup… that might be a record for us in the last 18 months,” Nurse explained.
The coach also discussed Edgecombe’s offensive development. “There’s going to be spot-up threes for him… there’s going to be space for him to charge down the lane with the ball… I just would like to see it like eight times a game instead of four,” Nurse said, highlighting his plan to increase his guard’s opportunities in transition.
Nurse acknowledged the team still has work ahead despite the win. “We got a long way to go… we’re still digging out of the hole we were in at the start of the season. There’s still conditioning, rhythm, health to get a little better, and we just build on that,” he said.
Philadelphia improved to 19-14, while New York fell to 23-12 despite Jalen Brunson’s 31 points and Karl-Anthony Towns’ 23 points and 14 rebounds. The Sixers will host the Nuggets, and the Knicks visit Detroit on Monday.
