Nick Nurse praised Jabari Walker’s work on the offensive glass after the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls 127-121 on Sunday, November 8.
“Starting with playing hard, five offensive rebounds and probably another five or six near misses,” Nurse said. “I know that sounds funny, but when he’s in there and it’s such a hard defensive rebound for them, it slows transition.”
Nurse also highlighted Walker’s finishing around the basket and outside shooting. “And then again, finishing at the basket, throwing in a three. Very very good minutes for him.”
Philadelphia’s extra possessions were a major part of the win. Nurse estimated the 76ers had more than 20 second-chance points in the first half, explaining: “Extra possessions are huge and especially when you score out of them.”
The victory kept Philadelphia at 9-2, the best record in the Eastern Conference. The 76ers have their best 11-game start since opening the 2000-01 season 10-1.
Jaylen Brown led Philadelphia with 29 points on 11-for-22 shooting, adding seven rebounds and four assists. He will face his former team when the 76ers host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, November 10.
Nurse said Brown immediately looked to influence the game rather than wait for opportunities. “I think his mindset was to to impact the game, you know, not not let it come to him,” the coach said.
Brown also created chances for teammates with drives and kick-outs. Nurse acknowledged that Philadelphia is still finding the right rhythm around Brown’s scoring: “I think that we’re still trying to learn exactly what the rhythm is to that.”
LeBron James scored a season-high 22 points, while Tyrese Maxey added 27 points and seven assists. Joel Embiid recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
James moved past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most regular-season points against Chicago when he made a three-pointer 3:15 into the game. James now has 1,897 points against the Bulls, two more than Abdul-Jabbar’s 1,895.
Nurse called James “an incredible passer” who can sense where a play is developing. He also said Embiid battled on the glass despite continued struggles with his perimeter shot.
Chicago remained competitive despite falling to 1-8 and extending its losing streak to seven games. Josh Giddey posted 19 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds, while Matas Buzelis also scored 19.
Caleb Wilson added 18 points and Jalen Smith had 17 for the Bulls. Chicago shot 52% from the field, compared with Philadelphia’s 46%, but the 76ers held a 54-42 rebounding advantage and committed four fewer turnovers.
The teams were separated by seven points at halftime and played an even fourth quarter. Philadelphia’s rebounding edge and 21-for-25 free-throw shooting helped it protect the lead.
The 76ers visit the Celtics on Tuesday, November 10, while the Bulls host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
