When asked about their pending first-round matchup with the Knicks after taking down the Heat in Wednesday’s Play-In Tournament action, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said of New York, “I think they’re for real,” and “I think they earned the second seed.”
Gio took exception to that response.
“Do you think he would have said that about the Celtics? ‘I think they’re for real, I think they earned that seed’?” Gio said. “He’s playing into this, ‘They’re not that good, they shouldn’t be the two seed, they’re not for real.’ Those narratives that are in there, that’s what he’s playing into.
Was it in doubt that they’re for real and earned the two seed? Because that’s not what they asked you…that’s what bothered me.”
Gio says the Knicks deserve their rightful respect as a 50-win team that pounded Philly twice in its own building during the regular season, and believes Nurse’s response was a little patronizing for a second seed.
“Did they earn the two seed? It’s not even a question,” Gio said. “There’s no question they’re for real. You don’t say that about a two seed, ‘I think they’re for real.’”