Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey score 34 points each as Sixers top Raptors in Nick Nurse’s first game against former team

TORONTO — Saturday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors was weird for Nick Nurse.

Nurse delivered an NBA championship to the team he brought his 76ers into Scotiabank Arena to face.

After being let go on April 21, Nurse was this summer’s most sought after coaching candidate. And he made his highly anticipated return as a member of one of the Raptors’ Atlantic Division rivals.

The Sixers went on to win, 114-107, to improve to 1-1 on the season. It also marked their fourth consecutive win over Toronto, dating back to last season. Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid finished with 34 points apiece. Maxey has opened the season with consecutive 30-point games.

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“It definitely was [weird],” Nurse said pregame. “No doubt about it. Just weird in general being here the last couple of days in the city. But I don’t need to tell everybody in here how great the city is.

“It was fun to walk about a little bit and catch the vibe again.”

Maxey and Embiid were major reasons why Nurse exited Canada with the victory.

Maxey made 12 of 20 shots including 7 of 9 three-pointers and also finished with seven assists and six rebounds. Through two games, Maxey has 65 points, 15 assists, and one turnover.

Embiid erased memories of his struggles in Thursday’s 118-117 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. The reigning MVP finished with 34 points on 14-for-21 shooting along with nine rebounds, eight assists, and two blocks.

Scottie Barnes scored 24 points to lead the Raptors (1-2).

“Before the game [Kelly Oubre Jr.] said, ‘Let’s go win it for Coach,’” Maxey said. “It’s just ironic that we are playing them the second game of the year, and we haven’t won yet. So it’s good for him. Many more to come, though. Many more.”

The Sixers celebrated the victory with their coach in the locker room after the game.

Nurse received a nice ovation during pregame introductions.Then the Raptors gave him a standing ovation after a video tribute during the first timeout. Nurse also received gifts from his former organization in the visiting coaches’ locker room.

Nurse will always hold a special place in the hearts of Toronto fans as he helped change the leaguewide perception of the organization.

The Raptors had been known as a good team, but one that couldn’t get over the hump.

But he led Toronto to the 2019 NBA title in his first year as head coach and had three postseason appearances. Nurse was the 2019-20 NBA coach of the year.

“He’s coached a lot of different places, but this is his staple, his foundation,” said Sixers reserve forward Danny Green, who was a member of the Raptors championship team. “This is where he kinda made a home, and he won a championship here — the first time they ever experienced it. So for him to bring a championship to the city, they’re always going to remember that.

“They’re always going to love anybody that’s a part of the group for that. It was that special.”

But the Raptors and Nurse both felt it was time for a change when was let go on April 21.

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Ahead of the tilt with the Sixers on March 31, Nurse opened up about his uncertain future and the turmoil in Toronto last season.

But up here, Nurse was much more the Raptors coach. He served as head coach of the Canadian national team from June 24, 2019, until this past June. And he started the Nick Nurse Foundation, which is committed to improving the lives of youth through music, sports, and literacy.

However, he’s recognized mostly for his decade spent with the Raptors.

Nurse spent his first five seasons in Toronto as an assistant. After being named head coach before the 2018-19 season, he’s compiled a 227-163 record.

Jalen McDaniels spoke of his time as a Sixer before Saturday night’s game.

“It was a fun time, being on the court with superstars stuff like that,” he said of playing last season with Embiid and James Harden. “It was just a whole different vibe.”

The 6-foot-9 forward said he learned a lot from his former Sixers teammates. It was different from his first 3½ seasons with the Charlotte Hornets.

But McDaniels’ signing with the Raptors this offseason, on a two-year, $9.3-million deal, was a business decision.

What did the Sixers offer?

“It was just like a minimum-type thing,” McDaniels said. “Yeah, I couldn’t do that, you know?”

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The Sixers acquired McDaniels from the Hornets in a three-team trade that sent Matisse Thybulle to the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 9. The following day, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said the team was elated to have the two-way player luxury with McDaniels. Morey also said McDaniels was someone the Sixers would be interested in signing in free agency.

“I don’t even know what happened,” McDaniels said. “I thought I was [coming back to the Sixers]. I guess it was a better opportunity. A team wanted me, gave me money, stuff like that I guess you could say, so I had to take it.”