Sixers present they’re listening to Nurse’s message and get one again on Knicks initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Philadelphia
Nick Nurse positive hasn’t been inclined to sugarcoat recently.
With the Sixers looking for to finish a disheartening three-game skid in opposition to the Knicks, the staff’s head coach offered the details to his group.
“The final two video games when (the Knicks) got here to Philly, they had been very, very bodily on us,” Nicolas Batum mentioned Sunday evening after a defense-dominated, grind-it-out victory at Madison Sq. Backyard. “They kicked our ass twice, actually. They had been very, very bodily. It’s not like generally you’ll be able to miss a sport. No, they went at us. … We wanted to reply.
“That was Coach’s message this morning: ‘What are you going to do about it? They got here to your home and punched us twice.’ … We needed to get a response in opposition to an excellent staff in a troublesome, robust place to play.”
The Sixers’ win wasn’t lovely for anybody who enjoys offense. The Knicks’ 73 factors had been their fewest since 2015 and the Sixers solely managed six extra.
Buddy Hield mentioned he was “fairly positive it was 1970-something or 1980-something.” Batum joked that he went “again to my EuroLeague days.”
In the end, a Sixers staff nonetheless down Joel Embiid (left knee meniscus process) and Tyrese Maxey (concussion) gave Nurse the essence of what he’s been pushing for.
“You need them to battle, man,” he mentioned pregame. “That’s all I care about. You suppose you’re completely outmanned at each place, however you’ve nonetheless acquired to go on the market and battle slightly more durable. That’s all I’m attempting to get throughout.
“And I’m simply attempting to point out them, ‘That is the way you do it.’ It isn’t simply, ‘You’re not taking part in laborious sufficient!’ Effectively, that is it: You’re not contesting laborious sufficient. We’re not blocking out. We’re not screening nicely sufficient. You’ve acquired to point out them concrete examples and maintain them accountable to get them to get in there and battle. That’s what we’re attempting to do.”
On this evening, the Sixers nearly did all of it defensively. Sure, the Knicks squandered many makable pictures, however the Sixers diligently switched, scrambled, navigated round screens, deterred drivers, and rushed ball handlers into unhealthy selections.
Their efficiency additionally wasn’t devoid of talent and shotmaking. Paul Reed hit each of his long-distance tries and Kyle Lowry nailed a clutch one. Hield moved to the bench and shined, posting 16 factors, capturing 4 for six from three-point vary and embracing the second-unit job Nurse assigned him.
“I’m attempting to get the staff to play pretty much as good as it will probably and I’m attempting to get every particular person man to play pretty much as good as he can,” Nurse mentioned following the Sixers’ follow Saturday. “Typically these aren’t 100% in alignment. … It isn’t at all times straightforward to maneuver folks round, restrict minutes, restrict roles, change roles, broaden roles. All these issues are type of occurring amid accidents — out and in, out and in, out and in. So it’s fairly difficult.
“There’s occasions when you’ll be able to’t be ultra-critical or ultra-down as a result of we’re shedding. I don’t wish to lose; you guys know that. … However there’s some strides some guys are making, and this has actually given us a platform to show numerous classes — numerous issues about competing, profitable, making higher performs.”
These performs Sunday weren’t all rugged battles for rebounds à la Charles Oakley.
Batum blended fundamentals and aptitude within the second quarter. After anticipating an Alec Burks go to Bojan Bogdanovic on the wing, Batum scrapped for the ball, seized it, and flung a deep, Harlem Globetrotters-esque dish behind his head to Hield. The Sixers wound up scoring on the play.
“I knew it was going to the nook, as a result of they’ve their two-man sport,” Batum mentioned. “And after I was preventing for the ball I noticed (Hield) working, and I simply … I don’t know why I did that. It labored, although.”
After lacking the Sixers’ loss Friday to the Pelicans with left foot soreness, Batum performed 31 minutes in New York.
“I’m good,” he mentioned. “Simply acquired to maintain it. Play by way of it, maintain it, therapy, no matter. I’ll be tremendous.”
Oubre appears to anticipate that Maxey may also be cleared for a return Tuesday evening when the Sixers and Knicks meet as soon as extra.
“It’ll be extra bodily, faster-paced, clearly higher-scoring,” Oubre mentioned of the mini-series finale. “We’ve simply acquired to do some little bit of what we did tonight, however higher. And catch their counterattacks, as a result of I’m positive (Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau) goes to yell at them for 2, three days and get them fired up.
“However we’re fired up, too. I don’t even suppose we performed our greatest tonight. I didn’t within the second half. However on the finish of the day, guys stepped up, and we’ll do the identical with Tyrese again.”
Although Oubre didn’t get into an precise battle Tuesday, the sport turned particularly testy with slightly over 4 minutes remaining within the fourth quarter. Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo wasn’t pleased about an Oubre foul, the groups exchanged just a few tense phrases and a few post-whistle contact, and three gamers — Reed, Isaiah Hartenstein and DiVincenzo — had been assessed technicals.
Oubre noticed the lighter aspect of the altercation.
“It’s simply frustrations,” he mentioned. “It’s the sport of basketball — excessive power, we’re within the Backyard. However I ain’t acquired no enemies on this league.
“All of that stuff’s humorous to me. I don’t know why. I simply snicker, as a result of no person’s going to battle. So on the finish of the day, I’ll see you Tuesday, bro.”
