Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse addressed the team’s critical turnovers after Friday’s 117-115 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. “We had a couple really big offensive possessions that we turned over, which led to quick baskets for them. Mitchell had a steal on one, we had an offensive foul. Those were obviously key,” Nurse said.
The coach acknowledged the impact of Jaylon Tyson’s career-high 39 points. “Jaylon Tyson had a really big game for them. We were super focused on Mitchell, but he made every three he took, and a bunch of tough floaters down the lane. He just played really well,” Nurse explained.
Nurse analyzed Tyrese Maxey’s struggles in the matchup. “They got some great size, put two on him a lot. He didn’t get a whole lot at the basket. He had a few chances, but they did a good job with length and helping toward Joel. He just didn’t make as many as he probably would have liked,” he said.
The coach praised the bench contributions of Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes. “Those guys did a good job in significant minutes. Q had a really long stretch, Kelly was playing pretty well. It was a coin toss between them, and I think they did well,” Nurse said.
Nurse addressed the team’s late-game execution. “The offense was really good for a stretch, ball moving, getting to the rim and open catch-and-shoots. Just not good enough down the stretch. We didn’t make the shots or get good enough ones,” he said.
On chemistry between Joel Embiid and Paul George, Nurse sees room for growth. “They’re finally hitting a stride with spacing and passing. Paul could get a little more involved offensively, and more time together will help,” he explained.
VJ Edgecombe’s limited opportunities were also discussed. “Not probably aggressive enough. He didn’t have a ton of opportunities, Joel had it in his hands a lot. But he did a heck of a job defensively,” Nurse said.
Trendon Watford’s minutes were adjusted due to execution issues. “We had a rough patch in the second with ball handling, decided to go with him. I liked having our smaller lineup there over the bigger one,” Nurse added.
Cleveland rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit, with Tyson scoring 39 points and Donovan Mitchell posting 13 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds. Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 33 points, while Maxey contributed 22 points, nine assists, and five steals.
The 76ers drop to 22-18, and the Cavaliers improve to 24-19. Both teams return to action Monday, as Cleveland hosts the Thunder and Philadelphia visits the Pacers.
