For Nick Nurse, learning something about his team is still a top priority

The goal for Nick Nurse right now, in the situation in which his team is in, is to get something out of the games they are playing.

With, at times, four starters out of the lineup, wins are hopeful at best. Climbing higher in the Eastern Conference standings isn't exactly a reality right now, so just holding on to a spot in the play-in tournament is more probable. He can't work on his rotations, nor can he figure who best to use together as games present different situations. Nurse now has to look long and hard as to exactly what he may be able to extract from each game that will perhaps help him and his team down the road.

How hard is that? Well, let's take a look at Monday's loss in Cleveland as an example.

The Cavaliers pretty much slept-walked to the 115-101 win against a Sixers team without Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. And though they were tremendously short-handed yet again, the remaining Sixers did play hard to make the loss presentable, at least. The good signs were that Quentin Grimes, who will be the first sub off the bench when or if the team gets healthy, was aggressive at the offensive end and led the team with 17 points in his 36 minutes. Nurse and his teammates have been adamant to Grimes that he needs to play that way when he comes off the bench, to provide the offensive spark that good teams must have.

Justin Edwards, who's playing time throughout the season has been as unpredictable as the team's health, made five of his six shots, including 3-of-4 from three, for 14 points in 28 minutes. He seems to have really planted himself in the minds of the coaching staff as someone that could be a valuable backup forward, again, when and if the team is healthy.  

And yes, Cam Payne had 12 points and six assists as the starting point guard, which is good, but we all know what he can do for the team, so really nothing learned there. 

Adem Bona was active as always and didn't commit a foul in his 26 minutes, so that was what it was.

Those were somewhat positives, but there are some concerns, also.

Dominick Barlow has been plugged into the starting lineup for much of the season while George has dealt with injuries and his 25-game suspension. At times, he has showed flashes of being the hustle guy that the fifth starter should be. But at other times, he's sort of faded. Now, he could be a more valuable player when surrounded by better talent, able to pick his spots in different situations. But one thing he must do for the team is rebound, and that hasn't been the case consistently enough. Consider this: Over his past four games, which has encompassed about 84 minutes, Barlow has grabbed just six rebounds.

Jabari Walker and Trendon Watford have also shown signs at times, but enough for Nurse to be comfortable summoning them off the bench for possible playoff minutes?

It's not ideal what the coaching staff is having to glean out of these games right now, but that is where they are. Embiid (right oblique strain) and Maxey (sprained pinky) will be reevaluated within the next few days. George has eight games remaining on his suspension and Edgecombe (back bruise) shouldn't be too far away from getting back on the floor.

For now, the 34-30 Sixers sit mired in the eighth spot of the Eastern Conference, just a game ahead of the Atlanta Hawks. They will host the Memphis Grizzlies (23-40) on Tuesday on the back end of a back-to-back. Nurse will be presenting a tired, shorthanded team. And his toughest task, yet again, will be to try and get something, anything, out of the game that can help them moving forward.