What Was Nick Nurse’s Impression of Jaden Springer vs. Celtics?

Jaden Springer had a decent first impression during the preseason opener against the Celtics. What are Nick Nurse's thoughts?

Sunday’s preseason opener between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics wasn’t the first time Nick Nurse saw Jaden Springer in action since taking over as the Sixers’ head coach.

However, it was the first time Nurse coached Springer beyond the Summer League sessions.

Heading into Sunday’s game, Springer held a resume that left an unknown about what he brings to the table. Over the last two seasons since becoming the Sixers’ 28th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Springer appeared in just 18 regular season games with the 76ers, with a lot of those appearances coming in garbage time.

Sixteen of those matchups came during his sophomore effort, when he averaged fewer than seven minutes on the floor, producing three points per game.

Sunday offered an excellent opportunity for Springer to take everything he’s learned at the G League level and put it out on the court for new coaching staff to see.

Based on Nick Nurse’s comments after Sunday night’s matchup against the Celtics, it’s safe to say Springer made a good first impression.

“He made a lot of plays,” Nurse told reporters after the game.

Springer stayed put on the Sixers’ bench throughout the first quarter, as Nurse utilized eight guys in the rotation to begin the matchup. In the second quarter, Springer got an opportunity to compete as the rotation expanded to ten players.

Right away, Springer had an impact on both ends of the floor. And in the second half, when Nurse called it a night for the veteran forward PJ Tucker, Springer replaced him in the starting lineup for the beginning of the third quarter. From there on out, Springer maintained his stellar play.

“[He] really guarded hard,” Nurse added. “Like, there were guys that couldn’t get around him. He got a lot of loose balls. He offensive rebounded. He stuck two threes, with that one at the top of the key after a loose ball there that stuck a three and a couple of slot cuts for dunks.”

Offensively, Springer showed confidence in his shot, drilling both of his threes and going 5-7 from the field for 14 points. Defensively, he did a little bit of everything, collecting five rebounds, one steal, and a highlight block on Boston’s Jayson Tatum.

There’s still a lot of hoops left to be played before Nurse can offer a consistent role to Springer, but the third-year guard is on the right track so far.

“He played very well,” Nurse concluded. “That’s good to see, and that’s a good opportunity for him to see what he can do.”

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