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76ers’ Nick Nurse becomes latest coach to suffer injury after angry reaction vs Knicks

Originally posted on ClutchPoints | By Jay Postrado | Last updated 4/30/24

A few days ago it was the last few moments of the clash between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns when Chris Finch went down. The aforementioned coach suffered an injury on his patella. Now, this unfortunate luck for head honchos in the association is a continuing trend. It happened in Game 5 of the NBA Playoffs series between the Tyrese Maxey-led Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks. Who grimaced in pain during that game? Nick Nurse.

The 76ers coach was not too pleased with the officiating in their NBA Playoffs clash. Nick Nurse particularly got mad at one play that he slammed his hand as a result of being livid. Unfortunately, that action had consequences and it just so happened to be on his finger. There is still no certainty if it’s a sprain or a totally broken finger. But, the damage escalated when he could not draw up plays in the second half to punch back against the Knicks’ schemes, via Ian Begley of SNY.

Everything still worked out for the 76ers in the latter half of the game despite his injury. Their defensive coverages limited the Knicks to just 48 points. The offensive execution also netted them 54 points to send the game into overtime. There, Nick Nurse still got to see the 76ers pop off as they prevented the Knicks from even scoring double-digits while they notched 15 points to force a decisive fifth game in this NBA Playoffs series.

This 76ers squad relies on his schemes and advice on the floor. Hopefully, Nurse finds a way to better illustrate his in-game adjustments without the need for him to aggravate his injured finger.

76ers stay alive

Apr 28, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse reacts to a play against the New York Knicks during the first half of game four of the first round in the 2024 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports © Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

It was evident that no one had pack their bags yet and had the intention of exiting early in the NBA Playoffs. Tyrese Maxey was doing everything he could to keep the 76ers afloat and it worked. He knocked down 56.7% of his shots from the field and went seven for 12 from way out to score a monster 46 points. Whenever the Knicks thought they cornered him, he also seemed to find an open teammate. This excellent display of court vision netted nine assists. His performance under the glass was also insane as he grabbed five rebounds to end the night.

The other big hitter for the 76ers was Joel Embiid. The 2022-23 Most Valuable Player was doing all the dirty work on both sides of the floor. He may have struggled with nine turnovers, but his production more than made up for it. Embiid’s shots saw the bottom of the net 36.8% of the time which got him 14 points. He then crashed the boards extremely well to net 16 big rebounds. This triple-double performance was rounded out by his insane passing off the high post which led to 10 assists. The more impressive part was that he was not famished and that his rim protection was still on display. He ended the night with four blocks.

The 76ers took advantage of a Knicks squad that could not get a run going at times. Hopefully, their momentum continues in the NBA Playoffs and they force a seventh game.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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