Nick Nurse explains what went wrong for 76ers in Game 1 loss to Boston Celtics

TL;DR

Nick Nurse acknowledged multiple issues led to the Philadelphia 76ers' 123-91 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Key problems included a poor offensive start and foul trouble for the big men.

Key points

Nick Nurse acknowledged multiple issues in the loss
76ers lost 123-91 to the Celtics in Game 1
Poor offensive start and foul trouble were significant factors

Mentioned in this story

Nick Nurse

Philadelphia 76ersBoston CelticsNBAEastern Conference Playoffs 2026

Before the start of their first round series in the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs, head coach Nick Nurse and his Philadelphia 76ers had a plan to take on the Boston Celtics. The end result of Game 1 – a 123-91 beatdown – told us that plan did not work out very well for the Sixers, which Nurse acknowledged after the loss. "I mean, a lot went wrong, that’s for sure," said Nurse. "And I think it started right from the beginning, with not getting off to a great start offensively, getting in some foul trouble with both bigs. So the first quarter, obviously, was moving past us pretty quick, and we just didn’t do enough at either end to get in, to settle into the game." "I thought, from the second quarter to about midway through the third, we finally got ourselves underneath us a little bit and played pretty good basketball," he added, "but the minutes around that (were) absolutely unacceptable."

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Head coach Nick Nurse of the Philadelphia 76ers directs his players during the second quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on April 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) "I think it’s one of those games where I thought we did do a pretty good job of shot creation ... probably not near enough," said Nurse of Philly's struggles with execution vs. Boston's defense. "But we certainly had our chances there, and you just can’t live in not making those, right?" "I thought ... not making them affected us a little bit in defensive transition and a little bit defensively, and I just didn’t think we executed very well at the defensive end on some of the things we wanted to do, and put ourselves in a big hole." Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on: Blue Wire: iTunes: YouTube: *This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: *

Q&A

What did Nick Nurse say went wrong for the 76ers in Game 1?

Nick Nurse stated that the team struggled offensively from the start and faced foul trouble, which contributed to their poor performance.

How did the 76ers perform against the Celtics in Game 1 of the 2026 playoffs?

The 76ers lost to the Celtics 123-91, indicating a significant defeat in their playoff series.

What were the key factors in the 76ers' loss to the Celtics?

Key factors included a slow offensive start, foul trouble for key players, and poor execution on both offense and defense.