The Sixers’ 0-2 deficit comes with long odds, but Nick Nurse remains confident: ‘I’ve been here before.’

One of the teams to overcome an 0-2 deficit were Nurse's Toronto Raptors, who defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in the conference finals en route to an NBA title.

Sixers Joel Embiid double teamed by Knicks Isaiah Hartenstein and OG Anunoby during the first quarter of Game 2.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

by Keith Pompey

Published Apr. 25, 2024, 5:00 a.m. ET

Founded in 1946 as the Syracuse Nationals, the franchise now called the 76ers is one of the most successful organizations in NBA history.

It has won three NBA titles, five Eastern Conference championships and 12 Atlantic Division crowns. With 3,101 victories, the Sixers trail only the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers for the most wins in league history.

However, they’re determined to post a franchise first this postseason.

No Sixer team has ever come back to win a playoff series after trailing two games to none. The franchise is 0-20 when trying to pull off an 0-2 series comeback. Not a good sign for the current Sixers, who are trailing 0-2 to the New York Knicks in their best-of-seven first-round series.

But they’re not alone when it comes to franchises that have struggled to overcome 0-2 deficits. The all-time record for teams that started 0-2 is just 33-416.

While that only equates to a 7.3% winning rate, six teams have overcome 0-2 deficits in the last five seasons.

One of those squads was the 2019 Toronto Raptors coached by current Sixers head man Nick Nurse. After losing the first two games, the Raptors rolled off four straight victories, beating the Milwaukee Bucks in six games in the conference finals en route to an NBA title.

So there’s reason for the Sixers to be optimistic heading into Thursday’s Game 3 vs. the Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center.

“I did briefly mention it,” Nurse said of sharing the 2019 conference finals series experience with the Sixers. “Like I’ve been here before. Let’s go.

“We played probably well enough to win both games [in New York], to be honest. But we didn’t. It’s a long series. It’s really doable, all that kind of stuff. But you just have to dial in on one [game] right now.”

That’s why it’s very important for the Sixers to win Thursday night.

A loss would drop them into an 0-3 hole, which no team has overcome in league history. However, a victory would enable them to get back into the series, and perhaps take momentum.

Based on the teams’ regular-season meetings, being at home may not be a major advantage against the Knicks.

New York prevailed, 128-92, at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 5. The 37-point setback was the Sixers’ worst loss of the season. Philly’s ninth-worst loss was a 110-96 home decision to the Knicks on Feb. 22. The Sixers’ lone victory in four regular-season meetings was a 79-73 triumph at Madison Square Garden on March 10.

Joel Embiid (left knee recovery) and De’Anthony Melton (back injury recovery) are both expected to play in Game 3 despite being listed questionable on the injury report. Embiid is also dealing with a left-eye injury that the team has downplayed.

“He’s feeling OK,” Nurse said of Embiid.

This will be Melton’s first game since April 12 against the Orlando Magic and ninth overall in 2024.

Despite illness and injury, All-Stars Tyrese Maxey and Embiid have carried most of the offensive load in Games 1 and 2.

Maxey averaged 34.0 points and 7.0 assists in those games after posting career-highs in points (25.9), rebounds (3.7), and assists (6.2) this season and being voted the league’s Most Improved Player on Tuesday. It was a huge honor for the fourth-year point guard who lives by the motto “get 1% better every day.”

“It means a lot to me just because it’s something that I preach,” he said about winning the award. “Something that I live by and it’s not fake or something I started last year. I’ve been saying that for a very long time. My pop’s been on me about it. He always said proper preparation prevents poor performance, so for me, it does really mean a lot.”

Maxey thanked former teammates Ben Simmons and James Harden, current teammate Kyle Lowry, and others who have played a part in his development.

Embiid has also played a major role in his success. They have been one of the top scoring tandem this regular season and postseason. Embiid has averaged 31.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in the series’ first two games.

However, Tobias Harris, the team’s third-best player, has only averaged 8.5 points on 38.5% shooting. Sharpshooter Buddy Hield was acquired in February from the Indiana Pacers to provide spacing for Embiid and Maxey. Instead, the shooting guard averaged 1.0 points on 20% shooting in the two games. He was 0-for-3 on three-pointers.

Meanwhile, Knicks All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson is averaging 23.0 points on 29.1% shooting. He’s made just two of 12 three-pointers.

But this series could easily be tied 1-1.

The Sixers were outscored 8-0 in the final 47 seconds during their Game 2 loss.

According to the NBA’s Last 2 Minute report, there were missed foul calls on Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart on an inbounds play with around 27 seconds left. Both players should have been called for fouls on Maxey, according to the report. It also stated that Nurse should have been granted a timeout.

“I think what it is for us is it gives us is reassurance,” Maxey said of the report. “We have to use that and put it to the fuel for the fire. It is what it is. We’re down 2-0 and if we dwell on it, we’ll be down 0-3. But we can’t dwell on it. We have to go out there and do what we’re capable of doing. Go out there and execute the game plan and win two games at home.”

Don’t look for the Sixers to alter their approach while trying to come back from an 0-2 deficit. Nurse didn’t do that in Toronto’s conference finals win over the Bucks. And he’s not going to do that with the Sixers.

“I hate to be really boring here, but not like any other games, even the regular season,” Nurse said. “Take what’s there in front of you. The only thing that’s different is you are playing the same team.

“So you’re taking what is right there in front of you. You are making adjustments. You are making your best guesstimates of what you think they may do, a couple of things that kind of start working for them that they [say], ‘Hey, let’s exploit that a little more,’ and we say, ‘Let’s get ready for it.’”

The coaches will view film, conduct shootaround, and get the Sixers ready like any other game in hopes of overcoming an 0-2 deficit.