Nick Nurse's attempt to boost the 76ers' third-quarter struggles has backfired, as they fell short in a 121-112 loss to the Raptors. The coach's decision to start Quentin Grimes over Justin Edwards in the second half appears to have been a costly misstep.
For the third game in a row, Nurse has employed his tried-and-tested tactic of switching up his lineup in an effort to combat the Sixers' fourth-quarter woes. However, this time around, it failed to yield the desired results. The team was outscored 44-26 in the third quarter, and their late-game surge ultimately proved insufficient to overcome the damage.
Grimes has been at the center of Nurse's strategy, with the coach seemingly intent on exploiting his scoring potential off the bench. In a pre-game interview, Nurse stated that it is indeed easier for Grimes to secure "starter minutes" if he starts the second half rather than sitting to begin both halves. However, this approach proved woefully inadequate in Wednesday's match.
The Sixers' woes were compounded by Tyrese Maxey's struggles on the floor, with his presence preventing a complete collapse. Despite Jared McCain's encouraging first-half performance, Nurse's decision to play him as a point guard next to VJ Edgecombe in the final minutes of the quarter was misguided.
As the season progresses, it remains to be seen how often Grimes will start the second half and sit out the first. One thing is certain, however: the 76ers' struggles in the third quarter continue to pose a significant challenge for Nurse's team.
In other news, McCain enjoyed an impressive outing, notching his first two-pointer of the season with a three-pointer off the dribble. He also showed signs of increased confidence on the court, setting himself up for future success.
The Sixers will look to bounce back from this loss when they face a Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Bucks team in Milwaukee on Thursday night, marking the first game of their upcoming back-to-back.
For the third game in a row, Nurse has employed his tried-and-tested tactic of switching up his lineup in an effort to combat the Sixers' fourth-quarter woes. However, this time around, it failed to yield the desired results. The team was outscored 44-26 in the third quarter, and their late-game surge ultimately proved insufficient to overcome the damage.
Grimes has been at the center of Nurse's strategy, with the coach seemingly intent on exploiting his scoring potential off the bench. In a pre-game interview, Nurse stated that it is indeed easier for Grimes to secure "starter minutes" if he starts the second half rather than sitting to begin both halves. However, this approach proved woefully inadequate in Wednesday's match.
The Sixers' woes were compounded by Tyrese Maxey's struggles on the floor, with his presence preventing a complete collapse. Despite Jared McCain's encouraging first-half performance, Nurse's decision to play him as a point guard next to VJ Edgecombe in the final minutes of the quarter was misguided.
As the season progresses, it remains to be seen how often Grimes will start the second half and sit out the first. One thing is certain, however: the 76ers' struggles in the third quarter continue to pose a significant challenge for Nurse's team.
In other news, McCain enjoyed an impressive outing, notching his first two-pointer of the season with a three-pointer off the dribble. He also showed signs of increased confidence on the court, setting himself up for future success.
The Sixers will look to bounce back from this loss when they face a Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Bucks team in Milwaukee on Thursday night, marking the first game of their upcoming back-to-back.
think nurse's trying to force some changes but it's like he's not listening to what his team needs right now... quentin grimes is talented for sure, but does he really need all that extra attention? 
and poor tyrese maxey, can't even get his act together 3 quarters in a row 
. on the other hand, jared mccain's been looking fire lately, gotta see how much potential he has 
. and u know what? might be just what this team needs - some fresh perspective 
. so let's hope they regroup and come back stronger against those bucks 
the 76ers are having such a rough season and its not just their third quarter struggles that r killing them its their whole team effort lol grimes starts in sec half but still cant score 
maxey is strugglin hard on court tho at least mccain had a good game 
thats all i can say for now gotta go study for my math test tho 
. and what's with the coach's logic about grimes getting more "starter minutes" if he starts the second half? it sounds like nurse's trying to force something that ain't working 
.
. notched his first two-pointer of the season and showed some serious confidence on court 
. fingers crossed the sixers can bounce back from this loss and start finding their footing in the third quarter 
.
. And Grimes didn't even come through when he got his chance.
and can we talk about tyrese maxey's struggles on the court?? like seriously, what's goin on with that guy? 
coach nick nurse needs to rethink his strategy 
his lineup changes never work out 
️ meanwhile jared mccain is shining bright 
love the way he played first half 
and vj edgecombe was on point 
gotta get him more minutes 
sixers need to find their rhythm 
. I don’t think Grimes was the problem here, he just wasn’t given a fair chance to prove himself as a starter. And what's with Nurse playing McCain at point guard? It’s like trying to put a square peg in a round hole 
– it just ain’t gonna work 
. Anyway, can’t wait to see how they bounce back against the Bucks on Thursday 
.
Jared McCain's three-pointer was the highlight of that game tho, nice vibes!