Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse credited improved effort, defensive adjustments and Tyrese Maxey’s intensity for his team’s remarkable comeback against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who surrendered a 29-point lead in a 114-106 loss on Thursday.
The 76ers trailed by 29 points in their home opener before outscoring Cleveland 69-37 in the second half. Maxey finished with 32 points and six assists, Joel Embiid added 24 points, and Jaylen Brown scored 21 as Philadelphia improved to 2-0.
Nurse admitted that his team struggled to execute early, with turnovers and stagnant offense preventing the 76ers from finding their rhythm.
“We started playing a lot harder for starters,” Nurse said when asked what changed. “We just really were out of total sync to start the game.”
The coach explained that Philadelphia’s second-half adjustments focused on changing its defensive approach and attacking the paint rather than settling for perimeter offense.
“We switched a few things defensively that took out a lot of the stuff that was really hurting us,” Nurse said. “We got them in a little better position.”
Nurse also pointed to the connection between defensive stops and improved offensive execution. Philadelphia began finding opportunities to attack before Cleveland’s defense could get set, helping fuel the comeback.
“We get some stops, gives us a chance to—I mean, again, they weren’t really break situations, but they were moving,” Nurse explained. “The defenses weren’t set and moving, which is why we were able to do that.”
Maxey’s defensive performance was particularly important. The guard applied full-court pressure on James Harden and helped disrupt Cleveland’s offensive flow, sparking a collective improvement across the Philadelphia lineup.
“Totally changed the game, right? He totally changed the game,” Nurse said of Maxey’s defensive impact. “He provides not only the physical effort to start it, but just kind of a spark that got everybody kind of emotionally going.”
The coach also praised Brown’s physicality during the rally, highlighting his work on loose balls, rebounds and contested possessions.
“We desperately need that,” Nurse said. “We need the physicality, and he’s a very physical player. We need him to provide that.”
Despite the dramatic victory, Nurse acknowledged that the team remains a work in progress, particularly as its players continue to develop their on-court chemistry.
“I think we’re scratching the surface here,” he said. “We just don’t know yet other things we’re going to be able to do down the stretch, but we’ll get there hopefully.”
Philadelphia next hosts the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday before facing the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
