76ers Coach Nurse Misses Activities for Brother's Funeral

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse missed team activities on Tuesday to attend the funeral of his brother, Steve Nurse, in Ankeny, Iowa, following the team's 137-98 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

Steve Nurse, 62, died unexpectedly last Wednesday, the day before Nick Nurse coached the 76ers to a victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of their first-round series. Despite the personal loss, Nurse remained on the bench for the 76ers' dramatic 3-1 comeback against the Celtics, including a Game 7 road win in Boston that advanced Philadelphia as the No. 7 seed. He then traveled to New York and coached the team through its lopsided Game 1 defeat, where the Knicks built a lead as large as 40 points. Nurse is expected to rejoin the 76ers for Game 2 on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, also at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks' dominant performance marked a continuation of their postseason form. New York overcame a 2-1 deficit against the Atlanta Hawks in the opening round, winning four straight games by a combined margin of 135 points. The Knicks became the first team in NBA history to win three...