Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse emphasized depth and execution after a 102-100 victory over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.
“When you get going, we just leave you going. Justin hit some big ones, got us back in the game, that’s for sure,” Nurse said about Edwards, who scored a team-high 22 points and made five of six 3-pointers.
Nurse explained the decision to bring Edwards back into the rotation, noting the matchup against Boston’s smaller lineup. “We tried to buy a couple more minutes with him there… and obviously when you get going, we just leave you going,” he said.
The coach also highlighted the team’s late-game execution, which helped overcome an eight-point deficit in the final six minutes. “What got us going tonight is we finally got some organization and executed a few things… we were just kicking it out to the open man,” Nurse noted.
Kelly Oubre Jr. played a critical role down the stretch, scoring the go-ahead basket with 8.7 seconds left. Nurse praised Oubre’s defensive and offensive contributions despite limited minutes in the first half. “He works at it. He makes the catches tough. He’s swatting at the ball… he did a decent job,” Nurse said of Oubre’s performance against Jaylen Brown.
Andre Drummond’s defensive effort on the final possession also drew Nurse’s attention. “It was huge. That was a saving play for that possession for sure,” he said, referencing Drummond’s deflection that prevented a potential game-winning shot.
Nurse praised Jordan Walsh’s performance against Tyrese Maxey late in the game. “He made a couple great kickouts right when we needed them… he was feeling those kickouts and asking for certain guys to be in certain places,” the coach said.
The 76ers have been managing injuries, including Joel Embiid’s absence due to right knee soreness. Nurse confirmed Embiid has no structural issues and is listed day-to-day. “I think he’s trending upwards. The conditioning and the minutes are going to trend up to playing even better,” Nurse said.
Nurse also addressed team depth and resilience amid injuries. “We’re still going into these games with three or four rotational guys out… the fact that we’ve got some youth and speed, we’re able to scrap with some intensity and give ourselves a chance,” he said.
On Edwards’ mental approach and readiness, Nurse praised his consistency. “I love him, I don’t worry about him. He works extremely hard… when he has a bad game, it doesn’t even phase me because I love him,” Nurse said, highlighting the guard’s growth and composure in high-pressure situations.
The 76ers, now 7-4, will travel to Detroit on Friday, while the Celtics host Memphis on Wednesday.
