On Sixers and sevens | Sports Daily Newsletter
The 76ers still have a lot to prove.
As David Murphy observes, the 76ers are currently a bit of a conundrum. The weekend split of games reveals again the paradox of a team led by a star, Joel Embiid, that makes everything possible, but who still needs help that isn’t coming from the bench of late.
Murphy breaks down what the games against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Boston Celtics revealed — which basically is that the Sixers are definitely contenders, but not if they don’t put the final pieces of the puzzle together correctly.
The stretch run for the playoffs will reveal more about if the Sixers are headed for a deep run or yet another early exit.
— Andrea Canales, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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Who will start in the 76ers backcourt alongside James Harden? Tyrese Maxey or De’Anthony Melton? For the moment, it appears to be Melton, a tougher defender with better size. Meanwhile, Maxey is clearly a more dynamic offensive player. Maxey has starter talent, but right now the 76ers’ decision appears to be more about fit, writes The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey.
Next: The Sixers take the court at 7 p.m. on Monday against the Miami Heat at the Wells Fargo Center, closing out a stint at home before taking off for a brutal March road trip.
How did the Eagles grade out this season? With one of the deepest rosters in team history and fresh off one of their best-ever finishes, most of the Eagles earned high marks. Josh Tolentino runs through each position group and assigns a grade in his end-of-season Eagles report card.
Hint: Jalen Hurts gets an A. And Marcus Hayes thinks that the Eagles should reward him with $250 million guaranteed.
The Devils have endured some lean years, finishing last or second to last in the Metropolitan Division in eight of the past 10 seasons. The positive? They have accumulated a lot of high draft picks and thus acquired some very talented young players.
On Saturday night, the playoff-bound Devils, led by young stars like Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, dismantled the Flyers 7-0, and in the process provided a firsthand example of why in the long run it often pays off to be bad first.
Next: The Flyers have a few days off to lick their wounds before returning to action on Wednesday night against the New York Rangers at the Wells Fargo Center (7:30 p.m., TNT).
Trea Turner made his Phillies spring training debut on Sunday and didn’t disappoint. It was also hard not to think about what Turner could mean for this team. In the words of hitting coach Kevin Long, the lineup is “really deep” and the top of the lineup is “elite.” And it’ll only get more elite when Bryce Harper returns from Tommy John surgery sometime around the All-Star break. “People should be excited,” said Kyle Schwarber, last year’s leadoff hitter who batted second on Sunday. “He’s an exciting player. That’s what he’s going to bring — great contact skills, great base running, and great defense. So, I think people should be excited.”
Nick Castellanos is trying to move past a down debut season with the Phillies, and he got off to a strong start on Sunday with one swing.
Things didn’t look great for the Union when they started off the season with an own goal, but Jim Curtin’s players were able to turn that inauspicious beginning into a 4-1 victory.
Jonathan Tannenwald analyzed the key elements of the match.
Worth a look
Life lessons and laundry: Carl Arrigale is minding the store and imparting important basketball lessons.
Wishful Wildcats: Do the Villanova men still have a chance to make the NCAA tournament?
Westtown girls: They claimed PAISAA victory over Penn Charter, while Perkiomen boys prevailed over George School.
On this date
In 2006, Philadelphia-born-and-raised Effa Louise Manley became the first woman to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Cooperstown honored the former part-owner of the Newark Eagles, who had for years before her death in 1981 written letters to the Hall lobbying for various Negro Leagues players to be considered for induction.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jonathan Tannenwald, Matt Breen, Mike Jensen, David Murphy, Alex Coffey, Aaron Carter, Olivia Reiner, Marcus Hayes, Josh Tolentino, and Keith Pompey.