Nick Nurse is still the same coach he’s always been, creative and flexible and willing to quickly try a new way if one way — his way — isn’t working fast or well enough.
He will always be searching for unique combinations and strategies that might be considered outside the norm, challenging his players to use their brains as much as their bodies.
But this Raptors team is not like his other Raptors teams. The majority of the group does not have the base of knowledge, the years of exposure to the speed and talent, the shared experiences that may allow it to work through the inevitable tough stretches that come up in every single game.