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Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse wasn't happy with his team's energy and effort in a Game 3 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on the road. The 116-95 loss was the biggest differential in this Eastern Conference Semifinal series thus far, and one that came with plenty of disappointments in all facets of the game.
“I think [we] got outplayed in just about every area we could get outplayed,” said Nurse after the loss, according to Bruce Arthur of The Toronto Star. “In overall physicality, energy, cutting, rebounding, passing, all that kind of stuff. We got thoroughly outplayed and it’s been a while, it’s been a while since you’ve seen this team play this way.”
“I think the first adjustment we’re going to have to make is, we’re going to have to play a helluva lot harder and play a helluva lot more physical. If we don’t do that, the prettiest things we decide to do offensively won’t matter.”
Veteran shooting guard Danny Green narrowed it down to shooting, as the Raptors once again failed to connect on 3-pointers with a fast-chasing Sixers defense on top of them for the third straight game — finding no answer for their opponents.
The Raptors, who ranked sixth in the league in 3-point percentage in the regular season, have shot only a collective 28.6% throughout the series.
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However Pascal Siakam thinks the Sixers' fast closeout defense has disrupted his team's natural rhythm.
“Every time you had the ball, you felt like there was someone in front of you,” said Siakam. “And then you pass off shots, and it kind of messed up the rhythm.”
The Raptors will have to find answers and quick — as they must steal a game on the road to regain the home court advantage, one that will prove vital in a closely-contested series with the Sixers.
