Nick Nurse Attends Brother's Funeral, Returns for Game 2 — But Philadelphia's Real Problem Is Bigger Than Coaching

As the Associated Press reported, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse stepped away from the team Tuesday to attend the funeral of his brother Steve Nurse, 62, who died unexpectedly last Wednesday. Nurse is expected to be back on the Sixers' bench Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden for Game 2 of their second-round playoff series against New York. The personal tragedy comes at one of the most turbulent moments of his tenure in Philadelphia.

Nurse's brief absence is not the story — the 137-98 demolition in Game 1 is. The Knicks didn't just beat the Sixers; they exposed the structural hollowness of a Philadelphia roster still operating without Joel Embiid and leaning heavily on Paul George to carry offensive creation. The Sixers shot poorly, defended worse, and looked like a team that stumbled into the second round rather than earned it. Nurse returning Wednesday changes the tactical picture at the margins, but the personnel problem is unchanged.

The Knicks, meanwhile, are rolling. Jalen Brunson is the engine of a New York offense that dissected Philadelphia's switching schemes with systematic precision in Game 1. Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby punished the Sixers on the glass and in transition. Mike Brown's Knicks coaching staff has had two days to refine a blueprint that was already working at an elite level. A 39-point margin in a playoff game isn't variance — it's signal.

For bettors, the prop-bet landscape here tilts sharply toward the Knicks' primary playmakers continuing their volume. Brunson's points and assists numbers are worth targeting given Philadelphia's demonstrated inability to contain pick-and-roll coverage. When defenses collapse the way Philly's did in Game 1, Brunson's assist total climbs alongside his scoring, making PA and PRA props particularly attractive. On the Sixers' side, Tyrese Maxey will see elevated usage with the offense needing a primary initiator — his points prop carries real upside, though it comes against a Knicks defense that just held Philadelphia to under 100.

The team total angle is equally compelling. The Knicks' team total should be approached with confidence on the over given the pace and execution they demonstrated in Game 1. Philadelphia's total is murkier — Maxey will push the number, but the supporting cast has been limited. The Sixers' spread number should reflect a team still in disarray; until Philadelphia shows it can compete for 48 minutes, leaning toward New York covering is the disciplined position.