The Philadelphia 76ers have been unable to get to the Eastern Conference Finals the past several seasons, though they’re hoping this time around will be different after retooling parts of the team.
The biggest change the 76ers made in the offseason was parting ways with former head coach Doc Rivers and bringing in Nick Nurse to lead the franchise.
Nurse’s last season with the Toronto Raptors ended in disappointment, though he’s still viewed as one of the most creative coaches in the league.
With an emphasis on ball movement and man movement, Nurse is expected to revitalize an offense that features reigning MVP Joel Embiid.
Joining the team’s effort is Patrick Beverley who signed a one-year deal with Philadelphia early in free agency.
Beverley brings a certain edge and toughness to the roster and he had no problem calling out Nurse’s former players Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby via The Pat Bev Pod.
“If I see Siakam or Anunoby down a dark alley, I don’t feel threatened,” Beverley said.
Patrick Beverley said that Toronto doesn't have any dogs on their team
“If I see Siakam or Anunoby down a dark alley, I don’t feel threatened.” ?
(Via @PatBevPod ) pic.twitter.com/Djv7lqIxbA
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 23, 2023
Beverley might be just supporting his head coach, though it also looks like he’s already stoking the flames of the two teams’ rivalry.
The Raptors appear to be stuck somewhere in the middle of the Eastern Conference after losing Fred VanVleet to the Houston Rockets.
However, Siakam and Anunoby still make up one of the better two-man pairings in the league, so Beverley and the 76ers will need to be cautious when the two sides meet during the regular season and potentially in the postseason.
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