76ers coach leaves the team to deal with heartbreaking family tragedy in the middle of playoff series vs Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse has reportedly stepped away from the team to attend the funeral of his brother, who died unexpectedly last week. He was 62.
The 76ers are currently locked in a playoff battle with their rivals, the Knicks, with New York leading the Eastern Conference semifinals 1-0.
But according to reports, Nurse left New York following their Game 1 loss to head to Iowa for the funeral of his brother, Steve.
Nurse is expected to rejoin the team later on Tuesday, in time for Game 2 of the series on Wednesday night.
The Athletic reports that Stephen Nurse died the day before the Sixers beat the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the NBA playoffs first round.
Despite the family tragedy, Nurse was on the sidelines for both Game 6 and Game 7 as the Sixers edged past the Celtics.
Nick Nurse has reportedly stepped away from the 76ers to attend the funeral of his brother
He was then at Madison Square Garden for Philadelphia’s 137-98 loss against the Knicks on Monday night.
The 58-year-old, who was born in Carroll, Iowa, has been in charge of the 76ers since 2023 after half a decade as head coach of the Toronto Raptors.
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