Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse was reportedly away from the team on Tuesday to attend his brother’s funeral in Iowa.
Nurse’s brother, Steve, died unexpectedly last Wednesday at 62, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Steve Nurse died the day before his brother Nick coached the 76ers to a win over the Boston Celtics in Game 6.
Nurse was on the 76ers bench during the team’s blowout 137-98 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. He is expected to return on Tuesday night before the 76ers play the Knicks in Game 2 on Wednesday, according to the report.
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The 76ers rallied from a 3-1 deficit against the Boston Celtics, winning three straight games to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals, clinching the series on Saturday night.
On Monday night, the 76ers looked like a team that had spent their previous three games expending significant emotional energy just to get to the second round, as the Knicks had their way in the win.
The Knicks at one point in Game 1 held a 40-point lead. Their dominant win over the 76ers was an extension of their play against the Atlanta Hawks in the opening round.
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They became the first team in NBA history to win three straight postseason games by at least 25 points.
After trailing 2-1 against the Hawks, the Knicks have won four straight games by a total of 135 points. They are the first team since detailed play-by-play began in 1996-97 to lead three straight playoff games by at least 30 points, according to Sportradar.
Jalen Brunson scored 35 points in the win, OG Anunoby scored 18 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges each scored 17 points. None of the Knicks starters played in the fourth quarter.
Nurse’s 76ers will look to turn things around against the Knicks on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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