The answer revealed why the 76ers made a second head-coaching move in three seasons.
“You guys have mentioned the second round twice to me already, and we’re going to hit that head on.”
That was how new head coach Nick Nurse responded at his introductory news conference on Thursday when asked what he can do to lead the Sixers to a championship — with or without James Harden on the roster next season.
“We know we’re judged on how we play in the playoffs,” Nurse said. “It was the same in Toronto. We hadn’t played that well, and certain players hadn’t played that [well]. … So the reality is that’s the truth.
“So I would imagine from Day 1 we are going to talk about that, and that we’re going to try to attack that. We’re going to have to face it, and we’re going to have to rise above it.”
That’s the mentality Nurse thinks the Sixers must maintain.
Nurse isn’t hiding from the fact that he received a lucrative, multiyear contract to end the Sixers’ 22-season Eastern Conference finals drought. An inability to do so cost Doc Rivers his job on May 16. It also led to Brett Brown being fired on Aug. 24, 2020. Rivers coached Philly to second-round exits in each of his three seasons. Meanwhile, the Sixers had two second-round exits before being swept in the first round in Brown’s three postseason appearances.
“There’s all kinds of other things. Can we tactically do things?” said Nurse, who coached the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA title. “Can we adjust on the fly? Can we improve as the season goes on?”
Nurse’s message was clear: The Sixers collectively have work to do.
This is on the coaching staff to prepare the Sixers for the postseason and make sure they’re improving throughout the season. This is on Joel Embiid to stay healthy. This is on Tyrese Maxey to improve his defense. This is on all of the returning Sixers to improve and to be locked in and willing to make sacrifices needed to break through.
The problem is they might not be capable of doing what’s asked of them if Harden, their only legitimate ballhandler and facilitator, leaves next month in free agency.
So Nurse was asked if wants the 33-year-old 10-time All-Star back.
“Harden is a great player,” Nurse said.
After being called out for not answering the question, the coach said, “Well, I would say this is that: James has a decision to make, and I would be very happy if he came back. Yeah.”
Harden is expected to opt out of his contract and sign with the Houston Rockets in free agency.
So while there’s a chance Nurse won’t get to coach Harden, he’s elated about the opportunity to coach Embiid.
The two have had their verbal battles in the past. Yet Nurse received Embiid’s blessing for the job after the two met during the interview process. And the coach seemed elated that he no longer has to coach against the center.
“First of all, I think that it’s been an interesting experience coaching against Joel,” Nurse said. “In many different seasons, we threw almost everything I think you could possibly throw at a guy because it was that hard for us to try to stop him. So we threw a lot at him … that’s one part of that.”
He stressed repeatedly his respect for Embiid and said past exchanges with the All-NBA selection were entertaining and in the heat of competition. Nurse was reminded of some of the battles he waged with Embiid while watching TV on Wednesday.
“And then as far as building the relationship, listen, I think he really competes and he really wants to be great,” Nurse said. “It’s a collaborative effort. ‘How do you see it? Here’s how I see it. Let’s figure this out.’ And for me, I just want him to have as much success as possible and that translates to as much team success as possible as well.”
But Nurse says Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and co-managing partner Josh Harris are the main reasons he chose the Sixers over head coaching opportunities with the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.
As the Houston Rockets’ general manager, Morey hired Nurse before the 2011-12 season to coach the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s affiliate in the NBA Development League (now called the G League). A season later, Nurse led the Vipers to the title.
“I think what’s most important is ownership,” Nurse said. “Just like the others say, do your research, and everything I hear is super positive. And I know Daryl, and Daryl’s track record of getting players and putting together a roster that can compete for the title, I think speaks for itself, and that’s what made it a fairly easy decision in the end.”
Nurse spent 10 seasons with the Raptors before being fired on April 21. He was an assistant coach during his first five seasons. As a rookie head coach, Nurse led the Raptors to the NBA title. A year later, in 2020, he was named league coach of the year.
He compiled a 227-163 record with three playoff appearances in five seasons as Toronto’s coach.
While Nurse is here because of Morey and Harris, he expects to take Embiid’s game to another level.
“Joel has a lot of attributes, first of all defensively, very, very good, right?” he said. “And then offensively is very, very, very skilled, and it’s a little bit early. But I think once it starts and it starts unfolding, and we start learning each other and those kinds of things, we’re just going to max it out.
“Whatever that means, I can’t sit here and tell you tactically what that means today, but we’re going to certainly try to put him in situations where he’s going to be dominant.”
However, Nurse knows what he’s really here for. Embiid can win another MVP award. Maxey can blossom into one of the league’s best two-way players. And the Sixers can finish the regular season 62-20. But none of that will matter without advancing beyond the second round.
Nurse is not only aware, he’s embracing the expectation.