“They Are Not Perfect”: Nick Nurse Voices Frustration at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder in Heated Exchange

The Oklahoma City Thunder can test a coach’s patience. They are the best team in the NBA, hardly ending up on the losing side. But aside from that, several coaches have pointed to them being officiated under a different set of rules. Some expressed it during the postgame pressers. Philadelphia 76ers’ Nick Nurse went right after the source of that treatment.

Cameras caught the 76ers head coach in a heated moment with the officials in the second quarter. Nurse wasn’t pleased with a call going against his team. And it seems he didn’t appreciate the Thunder getting away with some of the things his team was held accountable for.

“They are not perfect! They are not perfect. They foul too! They foul too, though!” Nurse told the sideline referee.

OKC’s whistle got Nick Nurse CRASHING OUT

“They are NOT perfect! They are not perfect. They foul too! They foul too, though!”
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— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) March 24, 2026

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Chris Finch suggested the Thunder foul all the time, but get away with playing high-contact defense. It’s their playstyle that’s come under scrutiny. OKC plays suffocating defense, using physicality and bodies to suppress its rivals.

However, there have been instances where some plays go beyond playing great defense. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recently hit Rudy Gobert’s arm, but was awarded a clean block. Lu Dort uses his strength to bulldoze past ball handlers at times. OKC does get away with some of these calls.

Yet, the whistle wasn’t as one-sided tonight. The Thunder received just one additional free throw in their 123-103 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Officials allowed the game to flow. Philly even produced 10 steals, four more than OKC. They were also called for fewer personal fouls.

The game came down to efficiency.

OKC makes it 12 straight wins

With the playoffs getting closer, the regular season is beginning to show signs of transition. The threshold for physicality has increased. The 76ers used that well, intercepting passing lanes and getting fastbreak opportunities. But the result came down to marginal differences despite a 20-point difference.

Both the Thunder and the 76ers shot the ball. OKC just did it better.

The best team in the NBA shot 53.3% from the field tonight. From a numbers standpoint, they made more shots. Philly managed to generate a higher number of scoring chances. However, Chet Holmgren’s presence inside the paint marked a key reason the Thunder could subdue the shorthanded 76ers.

Holmgren accounted for half of the Thunder’s 10 blocks during the game. Additionally, he also hit three of his four attempts from beyond the arc. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extended his 20-point streak, shooting 9-13 from the field. OKC connected on 33 assists against 48 made field goals.

Philly did a great job of challenging the Thunder’s persistence. Rookie VJ Edgecombe recorded his second 30+ point game in three games to lead all scorers on the night. The rest of the team just wasn’t as clinical. Notably, the 76ers made just four of their nine shots from the charity stripe. The Thunder also held them to shooting below 45% from the field, creating a comfortable cushion in the first half itself.

Nick Nurse did show some emotions, and rightfully so. Edgecombe didn’t get to the line once, despite taking 28 shots in his performance. In contrast, the Thunder’s core stars managed to get some of those calls. Maybe that added to Nurse’s anger with Thunder’s lead growing to 24 in the first half.

That being said, Philly did a great job of competing in the second half. They got outmatched for talent, as the Thunder also so Jalen Williams return to the lineup. The officials didn’t influence the game as much as Nurse’s frustrations suggested. OKC just made shots at a much higher clip than the 76ers.

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