End of the road | Sports Daily Newsletter

April 16 wasn’t supposed to matter.

At least not for a rebuilding Flyers squad. Yet there they were on Tuesday night, battling the Washington Capitals for their playoff lives. Guys like Sam Ersson and Ryan Poehling were leading that charge for an upstart squad that wasn’t supposed to contend this season. But they did. Together, they played every game like it was a playoff contest for over six months, and it got them to April 16, Game 82, a game that mattered.

And despite their playoff hopes being officially dashed, nobody could deny that this squad left it all on the ice.

— Maria McIlwain, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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The 76ers are set to face the Miami Heat in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Wednesday, with “Playoff Jimmy” Butler lacing up for the opposition once again. But the Sixers won’t be able to simply focus on Butler, with players like Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson also serving as formidable foes.

The Sixers will have their own firepower, though, with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey forming one of the NBA’s top duos. And they are coached by Nick Nurse, an NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors who will get his first shot leading the Sixers in the postseason.

Next: The Sixers play the Miami Heat tonight at the Wells Fargo Center with a playoff spot on the line (7 p.m., ESPN).

Bryce Harper’s adjustment to first base for the Phillies, which began on the fly last season and has continued this year on a daily basis, couldn’t be going more smoothly. Entering Tuesday night against the Rockies, his 53rd start at the new position, he led all first basemen with three outs above average, according to Statcast. Infield coach Bobby Dickerson predicted that Harper eventually could win a Gold Glove as an infielder. He might end up being prophetic.

Ranger Suárez delivers a vintage performance as the Phillies shut out the Rockies, 5-0.

Next: The Phillies wrap their series against the Rockies tonight (6:05 p.m., NBCSP). Cristopher Sánchez (0-2, 3.52) will start against Rockies right-hander Ryan Feltner (1-1, 3.38).

Join Inquirer Phillies reporter Scott Lauber for a subscriber-exclusive event featuring Phillies legend Larry Bowa at the Fitler Club on April 18 at 6 p.m. Hear Bowa share his insider stories and insights from his incredible 59-year baseball career. This is an exclusive opportunity you won’t want to miss! Register here.

With the NFL draft quickly approaching two-thirds of the Eagles’ brain trust spoke to the media for more than 30 minutes on Tuesday. Predictably, there was plenty to unpack, whether it was about players who’ve departed or potential new faces. Will the next successor to an aging star be drafted next week? Will Roseman make another draft-day trade? The Inquirer’s EJ Smith shares his biggest takeaways.

The draft was a few years ago now for DeVonta Smith, but he still remembers that feeling when his name was called. And now, he’ll be in Philadelphia for a while longer.

Next: The NFL draft begins on April 25 (8 p.m., 6abc).

Dynamic duo: These seniors will team up at Chestnut Hill College.

City sweep: Catch up with the action from this year’s All-Star Labor Classic.

Roster shakeup: Christina Dalce, Villanova’s second-leading scorer, is in the transfer portal.

Portaling: On the men’s side, Villanova’s TJ Bamba entered the portal.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Marcus Hayes, Jackie Spiegel, Gina Mizell, Keith Pompey, David Murphy, Ed Barkowitz, Scott Lauber, Alex Coffey, EJ Smith, Olivia Reiner, Josh Tolentino, Owen McCue, and Jeff Neiburg.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Thanks for reading! I’ll be back tomorrow, hopefully with happier news. — Maria