There’s a saying in professional sports that a series doesn’t start until the home team loses. Well, that has happened twice now in the Raptors-Sixers playoff series. The most alarming one happened in Game 5 when Philadelphia lost in a close-out game on their home floor. Fans actually booed them.
Toronto head coach Nick Nurse has been waging a war of gamesmanship, particularly with his ongoing criticism of the refs. Now he’s attempting to turn up the heat on the Sixers by reminding them that his team has nothing to lose. They weren’t expected to win, especially not after going down 3-0 to start the series. The Raptors are playing with house money.
“We got nothing to lose, got nothing to lose,” Nurse said after Wednesday’s practice. “Obviously, we didn’t handle the first [three] games very well. We put ourselves in the hole that we are in, we’re still in the hole, but for me, like what I said when it was 3-0, we just got to get one here, right? And now we still just need one, so just need one, two, three games later.”
The Raptors locked themselves in the film room the day after their overtime loss in Game 4, according to Nurse. He looked around the room and liked what he saw from his players. The fire was still lit in their eyes, so he knew his players — despite being on the ropes — weren’t ready to call it quits.
“I already said it, if somebody could do it, it would be us,” Nurse said. “They were in that meeting when I said that. However, I don’t think they are really seeing that part of it at all right now. I think they are just trying to find out where they can play the best at both ends and how they’re fitting in, and all that stuff.”
The latest Sixers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Sixers newsletter here!
Defending James Harden: Recircle, Circle, Recircle
James Harden has been in the crosshairs in recent days, with teammates challenging him to be aggressive. And his head coach searching for ways to unlock his full potential. Everyone wants the 10-time All-Star to ramp up offensively and take more shots. But Harden remains a matchup nightmare for the opposition thanks to his passing, driving, and basketball intelligence.
“With him you kind of always have to circle, recircle, circle, recircle because he’s such a unique player in all the things that he does,” Nurse said. “When he’s driving and it seems like if anybody in the halfcourt has his arms up he finds them and tangles them up, or gets tangled up with them. And then he’s got the step-back three-ball thing that’s hard, and he’s got the lull you to sleep passing thing.”
Nurse attempted to explain the Raptors’ plan for stopping Harden while noting how you have to know “every piece of the defensive puzzle” when guarding him.
“It’s pretty extensive going through covering him,” Nurse said. “He’s also moving pieces around all game long to get different looks and get different situations, so everybody kind of has to know every piece to the defensive puzzle with him. And everybody has to know how to guard him because he’ll pull everybody up there in a screening situation.”
Scottie Barnes Feeling Great
Scottie Barnes missed Game 2 and Game 3 with a left ankle injury. That injury stemmed from Joel Embiid inadvertently stepping on his foot in Game 1. The Rookie of the Year returned to average 9.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game over his past two contests.
Barnes was seen limping at one point in Game 4 after re-injuring that left ankle. So, how does Barnes feel heading into Game 6?
“I feel great,” Barnes said. “Body feels great. Overall mentally and physically, feel great.”
Raptors’ Nick Nurse Sends Strong Message to Sixers: ‘I Already Said It’