76ers Have Talent to Be NBA’s Best — Now Nick Nurse Has to Make It Work
Apr 24, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse against the Boston Celtics during the first half at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Ever since the Sixers added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James to an already star-filled starting lineup, Philadelphia (on paper) looks they are is the team to beat in the NBA. The starting lineup alone consists of 36 All-Star appearances, 29 All-NBA team selections, 11 All-Defensive team selections, five MVPs, and five Finals MVPs.
As incredible as that is, issues arise when it comes to Nick Nurse having to figure out team dynamics, such as who will man the scoring load. With so much talent on one team, it could be difficult for each player to get their share. Jaylen Brown averaged 28.7 points per game with the Celtics last year, and Tyrese Maxey was right behind him with 28.3. Joel Embiid, who has displayed an ability to put up upwards of 35-40 points in his prime, averaged 26.9 points per game last season, and James in the waning years of his career was able to put up 20.9 points per game.
It’s almost impossible for four players on the same team to account for over 100 points alone, so finding the primary scorer is a necessity. With reports already declaring James as Philadelphia’s point guard, and him stating that he wants to take a backseat when it comes to scoring, the way is cleared for Brown, Maxey, and Embiid to do the majority of the scoring.
In addition to that, Embiid’s health is no longer a discussion of “if he will get hurt,” but rather one of “when he gets hurt.” Much of Embiid’s injury problems could be attributed to his overuse in having to handle all the scoring load for so many years. With Brown and Maxey having the ability to handle that for him, Embiid can also take a backseat and worry less about scoring in this offense.
With that said, talented scorers should not just be put to waste, and it is not likely that Nurse will waste Embiid and James’ scoring ability. A strategy that could be implemented by Nurse is having the stars play in multiple different units throughout the game. Maxey could run the point for a lineup that consists of himself and bench pieces, while LeBron mans the first unit. There are countless different lineup choices that Nurse can throw out onto the court, and the bottom line is that no matter what that lineup is, a superstar should and will be on the court.
The surrounding cast alongside the stars seems to perfectly align with each of the stars’ skillsets. By Mike Gansey bringing in players like Labaron Philon Jr., Anfernee Simons, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Dean Wade, the perfect mix of ball-handling, shooting, and three-and-D players can help Philly’s fantastic four not have to do everything themselves. Returners like Dominick Barlow and Justin Edwards assist the team with their defensive prowess, and if Adem Bona can clean his game up a little bit, he can give Embiid specifically even more of a break on the floor.
The 76ers are on paper the best team in basketball, but in order for that to actually be true, Nurse needs to figure out how to make this team flow. The stars and the surrounding cast are all the tools Nurse needs to make that happen; all he has to do is actually execute.
Evan Hartenstein
Evan has been a member of the Philly Sports Reports team since March 2023. He is covering the 76ers and wants to pursue a long-lasting career in Sports Journalism.
Get New Articles Emailed Right To Your Inbox:
