Once again, the Philadelphia 76ers did not even bother changing their script — play a respectable first half and perhaps even mount a considerable lead against quality opponents, witness their haltime lead dissipate as quickly as possible, then go on to force a nail-biter in the final frame. They did it once more against the Lakers, but this time, it resulted in a tight loss.
The 76ers led by seven during the break, and while that is not much in the grand scheme of things, it still falls squarely into a deeply concerning trend that has somewhat defined their season. They are still the absolute worst third-quarter team in the NBA, and they proved that again when they allowed the Lakers to not only erase their lead, but also get all the momentum necessary to stay ahead in the fourth quarter.
This begs the question — what in the world is happening in the 76ers locker room during halftime? And perhaps more importantly, what is Nick Nurse even saying or doing — or not saying or doing — during the break?
The 76ers should start having serious discussions about Nick Nurse
Tossing up the prospect of parting ways with Nick Nurse to the sole reason that the team continues to be awful in third quarters sounds too much, but when you take into consideration the fact that he has likewise been puzzling when it comes to game management, it becomes almost like the cherry on top.
As everyone knows, the bulk of in-game adjustments are made during the halftime break when opposing coaches get to have a clearer way to communicate changes in offensive schemes and defensive coverages to players and point out the finer details on the court. But with the 76ers, it’s almost like they are not doing anything productive during those interstitials.
A team getting outplayed out of the break is admittedly normal, but repeated showings of utter incompetence in third quarters hints at a problem with their actual infrastructure and maturity — or a lack thereof.
At some point, conversations have to be had. The 76ers keep blowing leads and coming out flat to start the second half, and it’s costing them a lot of wins already. When the playoffs begin — and assuming they do make it there — this would be a perfect recipe to invite disaster and another early exit.
Until this changes, people are going to call out Nick Nurse. And while fans can be unreasonable at times, with this trend still persisting, they should be given a strong benefit of doubt.