Nick Nurse's Unconventional Solution Backfires Against Raptors.
Philadelphia – The Sixers' quest for consistency continued to stall after a dismal third quarter cost them a 121-112 loss against the Toronto Raptors, leaving the team at an 8-6 record on the season. For the third game in a row, coach Nick Nurse employed his unorthodox adjustment of starting different units to begin each half. While it worked previously, this time around, the approach didn't pan out.
The tactic, which Nurse has been using for two games now, involves inserting new pieces into his starting lineup when the third quarter begins. This week, he started Quentin Grimes over Justin Edwards in the second half and Trendon Watford over Dominick Barlow. However, it was Grimes at the center of this strategy that seemed to be the catalyst behind the team's struggles.
Nurse has repeatedly emphasized that he wants his players to thrive in fourth quarters, but Wednesday night proved that even with their usual late-game heroics, it wasn't enough. The Raptors' stifling defense and the Sixers' poor third-quarter performance led to a 44-26 deficit out of halftime, which they were unable to overcome.
The coach acknowledged that starting Grimes in the second half can yield better results for his minutes, as he becomes more settled into the game plan. However, it appears that Nurse's plan relies heavily on this untested combination, leaving him vulnerable to potential setbacks.
While other players, such as Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, stepped up their performances during the first half of the game, it was ultimately not enough to counterbalance the disastrous third quarter. The Raptors' swarming defense played a significant role in stifling the Sixers' offense, but poor decision-making from Nurse's adjustments appeared to be the main culprit behind this defeat.
For now, Nurse seems content with his approach, despite it failing to yield desired results. As he navigates these uncharted waters, one thing is certain – the Sixers will need a significant turnaround in their third-quarter performances if they hope to remain competitive throughout the season.
Philadelphia – The Sixers' quest for consistency continued to stall after a dismal third quarter cost them a 121-112 loss against the Toronto Raptors, leaving the team at an 8-6 record on the season. For the third game in a row, coach Nick Nurse employed his unorthodox adjustment of starting different units to begin each half. While it worked previously, this time around, the approach didn't pan out.
The tactic, which Nurse has been using for two games now, involves inserting new pieces into his starting lineup when the third quarter begins. This week, he started Quentin Grimes over Justin Edwards in the second half and Trendon Watford over Dominick Barlow. However, it was Grimes at the center of this strategy that seemed to be the catalyst behind the team's struggles.
Nurse has repeatedly emphasized that he wants his players to thrive in fourth quarters, but Wednesday night proved that even with their usual late-game heroics, it wasn't enough. The Raptors' stifling defense and the Sixers' poor third-quarter performance led to a 44-26 deficit out of halftime, which they were unable to overcome.
The coach acknowledged that starting Grimes in the second half can yield better results for his minutes, as he becomes more settled into the game plan. However, it appears that Nurse's plan relies heavily on this untested combination, leaving him vulnerable to potential setbacks.
While other players, such as Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, stepped up their performances during the first half of the game, it was ultimately not enough to counterbalance the disastrous third quarter. The Raptors' swarming defense played a significant role in stifling the Sixers' offense, but poor decision-making from Nurse's adjustments appeared to be the main culprit behind this defeat.
For now, Nurse seems content with his approach, despite it failing to yield desired results. As he navigates these uncharted waters, one thing is certain – the Sixers will need a significant turnaround in their third-quarter performances if they hope to remain competitive throughout the season.
, but sometimes you gotta know when to hold back, right? Starting Grimes in the 2nd half seemed like a good idea on paper, but it just didn't translate to the court. It's cool that other players like Tyrese and Jared stepped up their game in the first half, but you can't overcome a 20-point deficit, no matter how hard you try 
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. Still, I love that he's trying something different – it's not always easy to adjust on the fly, especially in the playoffs 
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. Nurse might need to tweak his strategy, but I got faith in him – he'll figure it out! 
. Starting different units at halftime doesn't seem like a bad idea, but Grimes' inclusion didn't help 
Quarter 1: A, B, C all playing together 
Quarter 3: D, E, F (Grimes) join the party 
. Tyrese and Jared were solid first half though 
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Let's see if Coach N can tweak his plan without throwing in too many newbies 
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. I get that Nurse wants his players to settle into the game plan, but bringing in someone you've only played with for a short time doesn't always work out 
. They need to figure out what works and stick with it, not keep switching things up 
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. All these adjustments are just confusing the players and the fans at the same time 
. It's like they're trying to figure out their own game plan. Need to get back to basics and focus on that fourth-quarter heroics 
Those last quarter changes always feel like a desperation move and it's not surprising they backfired this time.
. raptors' defense was pretty stifling though, gotta give 'em props for that. anyway, i'm curious to see if coach nurse adjusts his strategy or keeps sticking with it 
nigel biddle could do better than this 