NBA Philadelphia to hire Knicks coach who led team to Toronto title four years ago
The Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) are set to hire Nick Nurse, who led the Toronto Raptors to a championship four years ago, as their new head coach.
“Philadelphia is in the process of hiring Nick Nurse to lead the franchise to its first championship in more than 40 years,” ESPN reported on Tuesday, citing sources.
Nurse led Toronto to a championship in the 2018-2019 season.
The Raptors swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals and then defeated the Golden State Warriors in four games to two in the championship game to win the franchise’s first-ever title.
However, after failing to make the Playoffs (PO) in the 2022-2023 season, the team parted ways with Nurse.
If Nurse takes the helm in Philadelphia, he will replace Doc Rivers, who led the organization for three seasons starting in 2020.
Rivers was fired on July 17.
Despite going 154-82 in the regular season – a 65.3 percent winning percentage – in three years, a poor showing in the PO cost Rivers his job. 메이저놀이터
Philadelphia was swept in two games in the PO by the Atlanta Hawks in 2021, and was swept in two games by the Miami Heat last year.
This year, Joel Embiid was named regular season MVP, but they also lost to the Boston Celtics in seven games in the second round.
It was a disappointing outcome for Philadelphia, which was the favorite to win the title this season with the likes of Embiid, James Harden, and Tyreese Maxey.
The last time Philadelphia lifted an NBA championship trophy was in 1983, when the team featured legendary forwards and centers Julius Erving and Moses Mullen.