After earning his first career win as an acting head coach, Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin was elated postgame.
"For one night, I felt like Cinderella," Griffin said following the Raptors' comeback win over the Philadelphia 76ers, according to TSN's Josh Lewenberg. "I had the glass slippers on. It was an awesome feeling. Tomorrow it's back to reality."
Griffin said Raptors bench boss Nick Nurse, who was in attendance for the game, approached him about the opportunity to fill in as the team's head coach.
"He wants to see me grow ... Awesome gesture by coach. It just shows the character that he has," Griffin said of Nurse before tipoff.
Toronto was without OG Anunoby and Serge Ibaka for Wednesday's contest. Meanwhile, Philadelphia briefly got Joel Embiid back in the lineup following a one-game absence because of an ankle injury. The All-Star center didn't play in the second half, however, after hurting his hand earlier in the game.
"He did an unbelievable job. Hopefully Coach Griffin is a head coach soon," All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry said postgame, per Lewenberg. "We forgot to get the basketball but he's gonna have plenty more wins to come to get that basketball."
The Raptors - who secured their highest single-season winning percentage in franchise history with Wednesday's victory - have been one of the most impressive teams thus far during the season restart, going 6-1 inside the bubble. Toronto plays its final seeding game on Friday against the Denver Nuggets.
