Nick Nurse and other members of Toronto Raptors coaching staff to miss game
In an ironic twist of names, health and safety protocols are forcing the Toronto Raptors to be without their Nurse.
Nick Nurse is one of six members of the Raptors coaching staff who will be sidelined for at least one game. While plenty of players and other personnel across the NBA have had to miss time due to safety protocols this season, tonight marks the first case where a team will be missing its head coach and multiple staff members.
The Raptors are just one of four NBA teams to not have had any games postponed this season. With the All-Star break less than a week away, they'll be hoping to enter that time off with a clean bill of health.
The team's official statement on the matter reads as follows:
Due to health and safety protocols, six members of the Toronto Raptors' coaching staff, including head coach Nick Nurse, will not be on the bench beginning with Friday's game vs. Houston. They will continue to work remotely, and details on their return will be communicated when appropriate.
Raptors general manager Bobby Webster will speak Friday at 5:45 p.m., during the head coach's pregame availability window.
Webster is expected to announce who will be filling in for Nurse and taking on temporary head coaching duties during the 5:45 p.m. conference.
That said, a number of people have already started campaigning for the always-vocal Kyle Lowry to be given reign of the team during this time.
First off, I hope that the Raptors coaching staff are all fine. That said, Kyle Lowry has been waiting 15 seasons for this 😂.
— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) February 26, 2021
While the Raptors' statement suggests that the franchise could be without their coaches for a number of games, the hope is that this is just the result of precautionary contact tracing.
Nick Nurse has been a beloved icon of Toronto sports ever since bringing the Raptors their first championship in his rookie season. Fans everywhere are hoping for a clean bill of health for Nurse and his coaching staff so he can return behind the bench and deliver more iconic moments.
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