How Sixers Impressed Nick Nurse During Victory Over Celtics

Before the 76ers took the floor and hosted the Celtics on Wednesday night, Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse referred to Boston as a “strong test.”

In defeating the Celtics, 106-103, and recording a sixth consecutive win, the 76ers clearly passed that test. Philadelphia’s done a tremendous job in putting aside its early-season distraction in James Harden, an All-Star-caliber guard, and his departure to instead focus on better days ahead. It’s almost as if the Harden distraction never took place the way the 76ers have since shrugged it off and focused on the season ahead of them.

“Obviously we did a really good job on (Jaylen) Brown and (Jayson) Tatum, right?” Nurse told reporters postgame, per CLNS Media video. “And that’s one thing that I really like about this team is that we may not have, like, one guy that’s a lockdown. You know, like this guys gonna need to guard, we can’t switch, we can’t play schemes. We’ve got, like, five above-average guys with size and athletic ability and aggressiveness.”

There were certainly plenty of positives to take away from Philadelphia’s end. In the second quarter alone, the 76ers grabbed five offensive rebounds, four of which resulted in a second-chance basket. That was just the start of Philadelphia’s run in taking momentum away from Boston, doing just enough to make it out on top and hold the Celtics from a response.

In crashing the boards, a fight that’s gone on Boston’s side, entering the contest as the NBA’s leader in rebounds per game (50.1), Philadelphia finished victorious. Every little battle that could snowball into a divot deep enough to keep the Celtics down, the 76ers won.

Boston’s attempt at a rebuttal, amounted to sloppy, disorganized basketball, led by four inexcusable turnovers and an ineffective 11-point showing from Brown in 36 minutes.

There’s still plenty of basketball left to play, but the Sixers appear to be establishing their identity under Nurse’s debut season at the helm, and it’s been impressive.