Sixers going from a Doc to a Nurse: hiring Nick as new head coach
The Philadelphia 76ers are going from a Doc to a Nurse.
The Sixers are hiring Nick Nurse, 55, to replace Doc Rivers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. As Woj points out, Sixers GM Daryl Morey has a history with Nurse from Nurse’s time as the coach of the Houston Rockets’ G League team the Rio Grand Valley Vipers.
The Phoenix Suns were also “engaged” with Nurse’s agent Andy Miller, Woj reported.
Nurse had a .582 winning percentage with the Toronto Raptors and led the franchise to the NBA title in 2019. He was fired this year after the Raptors lost to the Chicago Bulls in the Play-In Tournament.
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He takes over a team featuring the reigning NBA MVP in Joel Embiid along with James Harden, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris. Harden has a player option next season for $35.6 million.
Rivers, 61, was fired after his third straight loss in the Eastern Conference semifinals, this time after the Sixers held a 3-2 lead on the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a chance to clinch in Game 6 at home. He went 154-82 in three seasons in Philadelphia
Rivers had blown seven playoff series with a 3-1 or 3-2 lead, via Statmuse. Rivers led the Celtics to the NBA championship in 2008 and to the NBA Finals in 2010, but he’s lost eight times in the conference semis with the Celtics, Clippers and Sixers.
