Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse credited his team’s determination, perimeter shooting and fourth-quarter execution after Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points in a 114-109 comeback win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, October 28.
The 76ers surrendered a 10-point halftime lead and trailed by 13 after three quarters before outscoring Indiana 39-21 in the fourth. Maxey hit two three-pointers in the final 90 seconds, including the shot that gave Philadelphia a 112-106 lead with 46 seconds remaining.
Nurse said Philadelphia’s problems began before halftime, when the team failed to maintain its offensive execution.
“I think that we did have a 10-point lead at halftime, but I thought we had the last three minutes of the first half weren’t a bunch of great possessions,” Nurse said. “That kind of carried its way into the second half.”
Indiana opened the third quarter with 17 consecutive points, turning a 62-52 deficit into a 69-62 advantage. Philadelphia shot 5-for-21 from the field in the period.
Nurse praised Maxey for staying involved despite Indiana’s physical defense and limited opportunities early in the game.
“I don’t think he was having that much fun out there. He was getting knocked around a lot,” Nurse said. “It was good to see him stay with it because it’s not that easy sometimes when you think, well, maybe it just isn’t my night.”
Maxey finished 8-for-18 from the field and scored 17 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter. Nurse said the guard found better opportunities late after Indiana repeatedly sent two defenders at him in screen-and-roll situations.
The coach also highlighted Philadelphia’s need for perimeter shooting. Anfernee Simons scored 20 points off the bench and made six of his 10 three-point attempts, helping the 76ers finish 13-for-36 from beyond the arc.
“We certainly need some perimeter shooting,” Nurse said. “But he’s a really good shooter. I mean, every time he shoots when you think it’s going in, that’s always a great thing to have on your team.”
Nurse also addressed the importance of handling late-game situations, pointing to execution mistakes despite Philadelphia’s successful comeback.
“It’s certainly good experience for us to get in these situations and to deliver for the most part,” Nurse said. “The more you get in these things and the more you can succeed, the confidence will build.”
The coach acknowledged that the closing lineup required a difficult decision. Simons had scored 20 points, but Nurse prioritized defense and rebounding over keeping the guard on the floor for the final three minutes.
“I had it going on offense. He had a long run going and I just thought we needed the defense and rebounding down the stretch,” Nurse said.
The 76ers improved to 4-1 with the victory and will host the New York Knicks on Friday, October 30.
