Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse identified turnovers and a lack of on-court connectivity as areas for improvement after his team lost 114-108 to the Brooklyn Nets in its preseason game on Thursday.
The 76ers held a 58-56 halftime lead at Barclays Center but were outscored 37-23 in the third quarter. Philadelphia committed 21 turnovers, with Joel Embiid responsible for eight, as Brooklyn improved to 2-0 in preseason play.
Nurse saw encouraging moments from his starting lineup but acknowledged that the group needs time to develop chemistry.
“Some good, some bad,” Nurse said when asked about the stretches with his starters on the floor together. “Good to get them out there for the first time. Obviously, it’s kind of what preseason is for.”
The coach highlighted Philadelphia’s ball movement and off-ball activity as positives before pointing to the mistakes that disrupted its offense.
“There was some really good things happening right off the bat. A bunch of back cuts and good passing,” Nurse said. “But then there were segments where obviously we turned the ball over a lot, which they can never do.”
Nurse added that the team must focus on its learning experiences, improve the areas that need work and spend more time together in practice and games.
Nick Nurse encouraged by Joel Embiid’s return
Embiid finished with six points, three rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes. His eight turnovers contributed to Philadelphia’s problems, but Nurse was encouraged by the center’s overall effort and ability to get back on the court.
“I thought it was very good,” Nurse said of Embiid’s performance. “I thought he ran the floor pretty well. I think that he just needs to get some rust off and get out there and get playing, which was great to see.”
The coach acknowledged that Embiid would expect more from himself offensively but emphasized the importance of having him back in the lineup.
“Obviously, he played a lot better than that. He’d be the first one to say that, but I’m also extremely happy that he was out there with the group,” Nurse said. “I thought he was playing very hard, which was great to see.”
Nurse praises LeBron James’ playmaking
James made his Philadelphia debut with 10 points, five assists and four rebounds in 18 minutes. He attempted only one field goal but went 8-for-8 at the free-throw line, with Nurse praising his ability to create opportunities for teammates.
“He’s a great passer, and that was certainly on display tonight,” Nurse said.
The coach pointed to James’ long passes that led to layups, his ability to find cutters in the half court and the ball movement he helped generate around the perimeter.
“I thought he really read the game well,” Nurse added.
Nurse also explained that Philadelphia deliberately shortened players’ stints as the team managed its minutes during the preseason. The goal was to give James and his teammates time on the floor without immediately asking them to play their usual rotations.
Turnovers and double teams remain areas to address
Nurse said Brooklyn’s aggressive defensive pressure provided a useful test for Philadelphia, particularly when opponents double-team James and Jaylen Brown.
“They did a good job of turning us over,” he said, adding that the 76ers need to find the open man and make the next pass more consistently.
Nurse believes the team’s size and passing ability should help it improve as players become more familiar with one another.
“I think we’ve got great size and great passing there,” he said. “That should smooth itself out.”
Despite the defeat, Nurse viewed the matchup as a valuable early-season lesson. With the preseason still underway, Philadelphia will look to improve its execution and reduce turnovers before the regular season begins.
