Do the Sixers have any tricks left up their sleeves to throw at the Raptors?

TORONTO — Adjustments, adjustments, adjustments.

That might be the most-used word during the NBA playoffs. While it can begin to sound cliché and like a word that coaches use to hide behind, there is absolute truth in the fact that adjustments really do rule the postseason.

Through five games of a series, the 76ers and Raptors have seen nearly everything from each other, from different defensive coverages and schemes to switching offensive attacking strategies and everything in between. There are always little tweaks and twists to be added, most of which can be anticipated by the opposition.

But, on Wednesday evening, Toronto coach Nick Nurse warned against the idea of thinking that the Raptors were prepared for everything.

“I also think you’re at a stage now where you can’t throw anything out the window,” he said. “You never know what kind of tricky things somebody might throw at you.”

The Sixers, with the pressure of elimination bearing down on them, might need a tricky thing to throw at the Raptors in order to shake things up and force a Game 7. That will be up to Brett Brown and his coaching staff. In turn, it will then be whether or not Nurse can counter before the Game 6 clock runs out on Thursday night.

If a shocking change is coming from Brown, he isn’t showing his hand much. Why would he? That would eliminate the element of surprise. Instead, he reiterated what he has said after each loss with a hint at change.

“We just have to do what we do better,” he said. “There will be some incremental changes.”

Nurse is expecting a fast-paced, high-energy start from the Sixers, with a lot of Ben Simmons in transition and a lot of plays run for JJ Redick, two guys who, if they get going early, can change the tone of the game. Keeping those two from getting into any sort of rhythm is high on the Raptors’ priority list.

Then, of course, there’s Joel Embiid to worry about.

“Embiid tries to get off early and has big nights when he does,” Nurse said. “But I think the big thing is to try to take away transition and try to limit second shots. If we can do that, they’ve gotta play against our half-court and they only get one crack at it.”

So, if the Sixers make any changes that are significant, this series could boil down to the better game plan and what the coaches present their teams.

If the Sixers want to prolong their season and survive to fight another day, they will need to get going early and disrupt the Raptors’ defense. Anything remotely resembling the Sixers’ 125-89 Game 5 loss just won’t do.