The Philadelphia 76ers are facing more than just playoff pressure this week. Head coach Nick Nurse temporarily stepped away from the team on Tuesday to attend his brother's funeral, as reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Steve Nurse, 62, passed away unexpectedly last Wednesday—the day before the Sixers faced the Boston Celtics in a pivotal Game 6 of the first round. Despite the personal tragedy, Nurse's team rallied to complete a historic 3-1 series comeback, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Following the Sixers' Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks, Nurse traveled from New York to his hometown of Carroll, Iowa, on Monday night. He is expected to rejoin the team later Tuesday, just in time to prepare for Game 2 on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).

In Nurse's absence, the Sixers held a film session on Tuesday but did not practice. The team is navigating a challenging stretch, but Nurse's leadership has been a steadying force. The former Toronto Raptors head coach, who won the NBA title in 2018-19, is in his third season with Philadelphia. This postseason marks the deepest playoff run of his tenure, following a 45-37 regular-season record and a hard-fought path through the play-in tournament.

As the Sixers prepare for Game 2, the team will undoubtedly draw strength from their coach's resilience—and from the memory of the brother who inspired it.