Nick Nurse and the Toronto Raptors could’ve used tonight’s game against the Houston Rockets as a prime opportunity to refocus after dropping two straight games.
With the Rockets sliding down to the bottom of the Western Conference, Nurse could’ve tried to tinker with rotations and figure out a way to get more explosive on offense against a Rockets team that is really struggling at the moment.
Instead, a bleak pregame report reminded Raptors fans all over the States and Canada that playing a full season during the COVID-19 pandemic was always going to be fraught with challenges. While the Raptors have not had a large number of their games affected by the virus, the health and safety protocols, the New York Times confirmed some grim news about tonight.
Nurse and five members of the coaching staff will not coach tonight as they enter the league’s health and safety protocols. The coaches will continue to work remotely, and there is not a specific timetable for their return at the moment.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse and five other members of the Toronto coaching staff are entering the league's health and safety protocols and will not coach tonight, @NYTSports has learned
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 26, 2021
Star forward Pascal Siakam has also been ruled out, per Blake Murphy. Sergio Scariolo, recently back from coaching the Spanish national team, will be the interim head coach.
Pascal Siakam is also out tonight due to health and safety protocols.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) February 26, 2021
Who will coach for the Raptors tonight without Nick Nurse?
It remains unclear which members of the seven-coach bench have not been ruled out tonight, and who will potentially step up to fill those vacancies. With such a heavy chunk of their coaching roster gone, this is a lethal blow.
One of the biggest positives from this season has been Nurse, who has rallied the team after a 2-8 start and has them firmly in the postseason picture. Any games they play without Nurse will show the true quality of this team and how deep they are.
The league’s COVID-19 safety protocols kept Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant off of the floor for several games. With several coaches all entering the protocol, Raptors fans need to brace for their staff potentially being away from the bench for an extended period of time.
What could’ve been a get-right game against a struggling Rockets team has quickly become a five-alarm fire that puts the Raptors’ playoff position in serious jeopardy. Raptors fans just need to cross their fingers and hope that Nurse is able to return to the sidelines as soon as possible with no adverse effects.