Nick Nurse appreciation thread!

[Johnny Bball]

Nick deserves a ton of credit for the success Canada is having in Fiba.

Program wouldn't be anywhere near what it is now without him.

You can tell they didn't have time to change much when they start out with 13 first quarter points.

[GreatWhiteStiff]

Yup. And enabled tbe selfish play because he knew he was not going to be here next year.

I blame the front office for this. Once they stayed the course at the deadline (and doubled down with the Poeltl trade), the direction was clear that it was “win as much as possible” to get into play-in.
Any coach will shorten his bench and exhaust the guys he trusts most in that scenario even if it comes at the expense of developing the young players.

Nurse did not have the cachet or power within the organization to go against Masai. If Ujiri wanted the focus to be on development of the kids, then Nurse would have followed orders.

For all the personality issues Nurse had - everything stemmed from Masai's unrealistic ask for Nurse to both compete with a bunch of athletes who can't shoot, and develop the young players (drafted outside the lottery) who are currently barely NBA rotation worthy.

All the problems started at the top

You really turned on this Masai cat huh Del?

[Elmago]

I was listening to Windhorsts podcast, and Bontempts was talking about discussing Latvia with Nurse months ago cause Nurse was studying them to prepare for them. Really seemed like he was pressured by the Sixers and he was all in with Team Canada.

[Mikistan]

I blame the front office for this. Once they stayed the course at the deadline (and doubled down with the Poeltl trade), the direction was clear that it was “win as much as possible” to get into play-in.
Any coach will shorten his bench and exhaust the guys he trusts most in that scenario even if it comes at the expense of developing the young players.

Nurse did not have the cachet or power within the organization to go against Masai. If Ujiri wanted the focus to be on development of the kids, then Nurse would have followed orders.

For all the personality issues Nurse had - everything stemmed from Masai's unrealistic ask for Nurse to both compete with a bunch of athletes who can't shoot, and develop the young players (drafted outside the lottery) who are currently barely NBA rotation worthy.

All the problems started at the top

You really turned on this Masai cat huh Del?

I can't agree with del, no one forced nurse to play his starters the most minutes in nba which directly decreases development opportunities. No one forced him to keep running the same overhelp janky defenses that the leave has scouted out and leaves efficient 1 pass corner 3s open or funnels overhelp to no rim protector. He didn't adjust his system and instead leaned even harder into gimmicks while losing the locker room and letting his assistants put up communication walls

[Vorticity]

anyone who thinks positively of Nurse's coaching [2020-2023], please explain this

[Elmago]

anyone who thinks positively of Nurse's coaching [2020-2023], please explain this

Based on how Nurse is dressed this must be from 2019, so the positive angle would be the Raptors won the championship. But maybe I'm just being sunshine and daisies.

[Mikistan]

anyone who thinks positively of Nurse's coaching [2020-2023], please explain this

Based on how Nurse is dressed this must be from 2019, so the positive angle would be the Raptors won the championship. But maybe I'm just being sunshine and daisies.

"**** that, let's get both" wasn't said by the coach

[will]

anyone who thinks positively of Nurse's coaching [2020-2023], please explain this

3 'chips in 3 straight seasons.

[Scase]

For all the personality issues Nurse had - everything stemmed from Masai's unrealistic ask for Nurse to both compete with a bunch of athletes who can't shoot, and develop the young players (drafted outside the lottery) who are currently barely NBA rotation worthy.

All the problems started at the top

You really turned on this Masai cat huh Del?

I can't agree with del, no one forced nurse to play his starters the most minutes in nba which directly decreases development opportunities. No one forced him to keep running the same overhelp janky defenses that the leave has scouted out and leaves efficient 1 pass corner 3s open or funnels overhelp to no rim protector. He didn't adjust his system and instead leaned even harder into gimmicks while losing the locker room and letting his assistants put up communication walls

I think it is way more complex. He was given a pretty bad roster, had a single year left on his contract, and was not on the same page as the FO (apparently). If I was in his position, I'd have done the same thing, run the starters into the ground so that you can rack up as many wins as possible, at the end of the day, he still needs to be employed, and wins keep you employed.

It's all speculation since no one really knows, but based on the moves the FO made, there is virtually no way they were expecting "development" and not trying their hardest to make the playoffs. You can't give a coach a bad roster, and complain when they overplay the best players.

Go take a look at his minute distributions since he became HC. As you see more and more talent being bled, the minutes of the good players steadily went up. You can track it easily since the chip year and beyond, this isn't some random season, this has gotten gradually worse as the roster has.

His job was to win, and that was the highest % chance of getting wins. I will definitely give him hell for the bad offensive sets and overcomplicated defense, but not his min distribution. That's 100% on Masai and Bobby for fielding a garbage roster.

[Elmago]

You really turned on this Masai cat huh Del?

I can't agree with del, no one forced nurse to play his starters the most minutes in nba which directly decreases development opportunities. No one forced him to keep running the same overhelp janky defenses that the leave has scouted out and leaves efficient 1 pass corner 3s open or funnels overhelp to no rim protector. He didn't adjust his system and instead leaned even harder into gimmicks while losing the locker room and letting his assistants put up communication walls

I think it is way more complex. He was given a pretty bad roster, had a single year left on his contract, and was not on the same page as the FO (apparently). If I was in his position, I'd have done the same thing, run the starters into the ground so that you can rack up as many wins as possible, at the end of the day, he still needs to be employed, and wins keep you employed.

It's all speculation since no one really knows, but based on the moves the FO made, there is virtually no way they were expecting "development" and not trying their hardest to make the playoffs. You can't give a coach a bad roster, and complain when they overplay the best players.

Go take a look at his minute distributions since he became HC. As you see more and more talent being bled, the minutes of the good players steadily went up. You can track it easily since the chip year and beyond, this isn't some random season, this has gotten gradually worse as the roster has.

His job was to win, and that was the highest % chance of getting wins. I will definitely give him hell for the bad offensive sets and overcomplicated defense, but not his min distribution. That's 100% on Masai and Bobby for fielding a garbage roster.

I remember criticisms of Bud after we beat them was how Bud limited Giannis' minutes and protected his load defensively, while Nurse leaned heavily on Kawhi. Nurse was a guy that played to win and did what needed to be done, but was poor with looking at the bigger picture and managing personalities. As a result he was the perfect guy for that '19 squad, but not so much these past couple years.

[Scase]

I can't agree with del, no one forced nurse to play his starters the most minutes in nba which directly decreases development opportunities. No one forced him to keep running the same overhelp janky defenses that the leave has scouted out and leaves efficient 1 pass corner 3s open or funnels overhelp to no rim protector. He didn't adjust his system and instead leaned even harder into gimmicks while losing the locker room and letting his assistants put up communication walls

I think it is way more complex. He was given a pretty bad roster, had a single year left on his contract, and was not on the same page as the FO (apparently). If I was in his position, I'd have done the same thing, run the starters into the ground so that you can rack up as many wins as possible, at the end of the day, he still needs to be employed, and wins keep you employed.

It's all speculation since no one really knows, but based on the moves the FO made, there is virtually no way they were expecting "development" and not trying their hardest to make the playoffs. You can't give a coach a bad roster, and complain when they overplay the best players.

Go take a look at his minute distributions since he became HC. As you see more and more talent being bled, the minutes of the good players steadily went up. You can track it easily since the chip year and beyond, this isn't some random season, this has gotten gradually worse as the roster has.

His job was to win, and that was the highest % chance of getting wins. I will definitely give him hell for the bad offensive sets and overcomplicated defense, but not his min distribution. That's 100% on Masai and Bobby for fielding a garbage roster.

I remember criticisms of Bud after we beat them was how Bud limited Giannis' minutes and protected his load defensively, while Nurse leaned heavily on Kawhi. Nurse was a guy that played to win and did what needed to be done, but was poor with looking at the bigger picture and managing personalities. As a result he was the perfect guy for that '19 squad, but not so much these past couple years.

I would've been fine with Nurse running a young team of prospects and seeing how he could bring them along. Alternatively like you said, you give him a good team that needs to get over a hump, like the celtics or something, and he shines.

You give him some half assed, directionless roster, and you're gonna get him driving guys into the ground to eke out some wins.

[Mikistan]

I think it is way more complex. He was given a pretty bad roster, had a single year left on his contract, and was not on the same page as the FO (apparently). If I was in his position, I'd have done the same thing, run the starters into the ground so that you can rack up as many wins as possible, at the end of the day, he still needs to be employed, and wins keep you employed.

It's all speculation since no one really knows, but based on the moves the FO made, there is virtually no way they were expecting "development" and not trying their hardest to make the playoffs. You can't give a coach a bad roster, and complain when they overplay the best players.

Go take a look at his minute distributions since he became HC. As you see more and more talent being bled, the minutes of the good players steadily went up. You can track it easily since the chip year and beyond, this isn't some random season, this has gotten gradually worse as the roster has.

His job was to win, and that was the highest % chance of getting wins. I will definitely give him hell for the bad offensive sets and overcomplicated defense, but not his min distribution. That's 100% on Masai and Bobby for fielding a garbage roster.

I remember criticisms of Bud after we beat them was how Bud limited Giannis' minutes and protected his load defensively, while Nurse leaned heavily on Kawhi. Nurse was a guy that played to win and did what needed to be done, but was poor with looking at the bigger picture and managing personalities. As a result he was the perfect guy for that '19 squad, but not so much these past couple years.

I would've been fine with Nurse running a young team of prospects and seeing how he could bring them along. Alternatively like you said, you give him a good team that needs to get over a hump, like the celtics or something, and he shines.

You give him some half assed, directionless roster, and you're gonna get him driving guys into the ground to eke out some wins.

2 previous all stars
1 defensive team member
1 previous finals mvp votegetter
1 previous MIP winner
1 previous ROTY winner

All on this half passed directionless roster...let's face the facts he did such a poor job the head honcho had to have one on one meetings and after the trade deadline where we trade future pick for a starting centre this "head coach" was such a leader he was talking about his future in front of the press at away games instead of focusing himself and his team on the playin run he wouldn't eventually bumble

[Scase]

I remember criticisms of Bud after we beat them was how Bud limited Giannis' minutes and protected his load defensively, while Nurse leaned heavily on Kawhi. Nurse was a guy that played to win and did what needed to be done, but was poor with looking at the bigger picture and managing personalities. As a result he was the perfect guy for that '19 squad, but not so much these past couple years.

I would've been fine with Nurse running a young team of prospects and seeing how he could bring them along. Alternatively like you said, you give him a good team that needs to get over a hump, like the celtics or something, and he shines.

You give him some half assed, directionless roster, and you're gonna get him driving guys into the ground to eke out some wins.

2 previous all stars
1 defensive team member
1 previous finals mvp votegetter
1 previous MIP winner
1 previous ROTY winner

All on this half passed directionless roster...let's face the facts he did such a poor job the head honcho had to have one on one meetings and after the trade deadline where we trade future pick for a starting centre this "head coach" was such a leader he was talking about his future in front of the press at away games instead of focusing himself and his team on the playin run he wouldn't eventually bumble

Can we give the bs FMVP thing a rest already? It was one dude who was an idiot giving that vote.

Also notice how everything but OG was a "previous"? Lastly, all of those "awards" were the players he played into the ground, so your argument makes no sense.

They were overplayed and clearly run down, that was because outside of the starting 5, the rest of the team was absolute garbage. A roster is more than 5 players, and the other 10 were trash.

And putting head coach in quotes? Now you're just being intentionally childish, he is in every definition of the words a head coach, and a good one at that. Period, not up for debate or discussion.

[geminiz]

I remember criticisms of Bud after we beat them was how Bud limited Giannis' minutes and protected his load defensively, while Nurse leaned heavily on Kawhi. Nurse was a guy that played to win and did what needed to be done, but was poor with looking at the bigger picture and managing personalities. As a result he was the perfect guy for that '19 squad, but not so much these past couple years.

I would've been fine with Nurse running a young team of prospects and seeing how he could bring them along. Alternatively like you said, you give him a good team that needs to get over a hump, like the celtics or something, and he shines.

You give him some half assed, directionless roster, and you're gonna get him driving guys into the ground to eke out some wins.

2 previous all stars
1 defensive team member
1 previous finals mvp votegetter
1 previous MIP winner
1 previous ROTY winner

All on this half passed directionless roster...let's face the facts he did such a poor job the head honcho had to have one on one meetings and after the trade deadline where we trade future pick for a starting centre this "head coach" was such a leader he was talking about his future in front of the press at away games instead of focusing himself and his team on the playin run he wouldn't eventually bumble

When you had to prefix 5 out of the 6 examples you listed with "previous" , you basically argued against yourself already.

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[DelAbbot]

Watch on YouTube

Nurse continues to do well

[Raps in 4]

Watch on YouTube

Nurse continues to do well

Top-5 coach in the league. It's a shame Masai couldn't give him a competitive roster.

[TheFutureMM]

No surprises here that Nurse is doing well in Philly. Went to bat for him this summer as it was super obvious he'd over achieved with the teams that Masai had provided (or lack there of) him.

Will reserve ultimate judgement until we see what he does with this squad in the playoffs. If he can get them to the Finals, I think the conversation is pretty much shut.

[anotherhomer]

Watch on YouTube

Nurse continues to do well

Top-5 coach in the league. It's a shame Masai couldn't give him a competitive roster.

he's good but he's someone who still rides his top guys a lot of mins

Tobias harris and maxey are top 10 in mins
his guys outside the top6 don't play a lot of mins

[sidsid]

Watch on YouTube

Nurse continues to do well

Top-5 coach in the league. It's a shame Masai couldn't give him a competitive roster.

I'd much rather have Scottie Barnes thriving and turning into a star, under coaching that gave us a game where we beat our all time record for assists (the type of coaching that suits his style) instead of being held back by Nurse like he was last year. Seems like a much more promising approach to the team's future.

But to each their own.

[Boogie!]

Watch on YouTube

Nurse continues to do well

Top-5 coach in the league. It's a shame Masai couldn't give him a competitive roster.

he's good but he's someone who still rides his top guys a lot of mins

Tobias harris and maxey are top 10 in mins
his guys outside the top6 don't play a lot of mins

Joel embiid gets gifted fts on the regular and Maxey is unguardsble on the perimeter. I'll reserve my judgement on nurse and the sixers until the playoffs. People are acting like Joel embiid wasn't already an mvp before nurse and that the sixers haven't already been one of the top teams in the east before nurse... btw Maxey is now averaging 38 mpg. So nurse is still gonna nurse.