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76ers HC Nick Nurse speaks up on Game 1 tactic vs Knicks that did not matter
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- 76ers HC Nick Nurse speaks up on Game 1 tactic vs Knicks that did not matter
76ers HC Nick Nurse speaks up on Game 1 tactic vs Knicks that did not matter appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse addressed his early “Hack‑a‑Mitch” strategy following the team’s Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday night, confirming the decision was an attempt to disrupt New York’s early momentum . The intentional fouling of center Mitchell Robinson became a major topic of discussion, with video of his comments posted on X, formerly Twitter, by SNY Knicks Videos, highlighting the 76ers’ early in-game approach for the series opener.
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“It was a chance to try to stop their momentum a little bit”
Nurse’s full explanation underscores that the approach never created the drag on tempo his staff wanted against a potent Knicks offense already dictating the pace in a 137–98 rout that put New York up 1–0 in the best‑of‑seven series.
While the strategy briefly put Robinson on the line and stopped the clock, the Knicks continued to score efficiently in the half court, and the Sixers’ own stagnant offense prevented any meaningful swing in momentum.
The repeated whistles also denied the 76ers the opportunity to build the type of defensive rhythm that the former 2019 NBA champion Toronto Raptors head coach has often described as a pillar of his team’s identity, leaving New York comfortable flowing from free throws back into set actions.
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By framing the sequence as an effort to “stop their momentum a little bit,” Nurse effectively confirmed that the 76ers were willing to test Robinson’s free‑throw shooting as part of their defensive game plan in the first quarter at Madison Square Garden.
Regardless, Philadelphia lost by 39 , and far more significant adjustments are now required to slow a Knicks group riding serious postseason momentum into the rest of this series.
Related: 76ers most to blame for Game 1 debacle vs. Knicks
Related: 76ers’ Joel Embiid addresses Mikal Bridges’ possible ‘dirty’ play
