A Doc in the house | Sports Daily Newsletter

Doc Rivers returned to the Wells Fargo Center for the first time since his firing and was greeted by some boos.

“I didn’t hear it, to be honest,” Rivers said after his Bucks beat the Sixers, 119-98, on Sunday, “and that means I was back at home.”

Rivers was joking about Philly sports fans being hard on players and coaches, but the Milwaukee coach seems to have moved on. In three seasons under Rivers, the Sixers compiled an impressive 154-82 regular-season record. We all know what happened in three straight postseasons.

“I just wish we could have gone further,” Rivers said as he talked about missed opportunities with the Sixers. “... Things happen and you just live with them.”

With Joel Embiid still sidelined, the Sixers had no answer on Sunday for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who racked up 30 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists.

Tyrese Maxey did his part against Milwaukee, but Tobias Harris, Buddy Hield, and Kelly Oubre Jr. were ice cold.

Next: The Sixers visit the Boston Celtics at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday (TNT).

— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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❓ Who’ll go further in the playoffs, the Bucks under Doc Rivers or the Sixers under Nick Nurse? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

Fresh off a deflating 2-1 defeat to the Rangers, the Flyers dropped a 7-6 decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. The setback stung even more as the Flyers lost Jamie Drysdale to an apparent shoulder injury in the second period.

Meanwhile, Sean Couturier is settling into the role of captain after the Flyers awarded him with the “C” on Feb. 13. Since his rookie season in 2011, Couturier has shown a quiet tenacity that serves him well as a leader, his old teammates say.

Next: The Flyers host the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m. Tuesday (NBCSP).

Aaron Nola had an impressive showing Sunday — albeit for a spring training game — but what stood out the most was Nola’s pace. He seemed like he was in a better rhythm. Pitching coach Caleb Cotham said it was the best he’s seen Nola in a spring training start over the last few years. Part of this comes from experience — Nola, who is a notoriously slow worker, has now played with the pitch clock for a year — but part of it is a change in focus.

Phillies pitchers held the Yankees without a hit until the eighth inning of a 4-0 Grapefruit League victory.

Phillies prospect Justin Crawford, who is coming off a successful first minor league season, got to work in the offseason hitting with another Phillie from Las Vegas, Bryson Stott.

Next: The Phillies play a Grapefruit League game against the Boston Red Sox at 1:05 p.m. Monday.

Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown had plenty to say in an interview Friday on WIP-FM that made some waves. Among other things, Brown wonders why the media here isn’t “supporting Philly” and accuses some of making up rumors. Mike Sielski goes over some of what Brown got right, what he got wrong, and what needs a bit more context.

Could Brown and Co. receive some help at wide receiver from the Eagles in the draft? EJ Smith provides 10 prospects on offense to ponder as the scouting combine begins on Monday.

Mikael Uhre showed up to the Union’s preseason camp this year determined to be better. The Union settled for a 2-2 draw with the Chicago Fire on Saturday, but Uhre scored off an assist from Quinn Sullivan. That could be a sign of things to come for the Union.

Next: The Union host Saprissa in the Concacaf Champions Cup on Tuesday at 8:15 p.m.

Feb. 26, 2020: Joel Embiid suffered a sprained shoulder in a 108-94 Sixers loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Sixers never led against the team with the worst record in the Eastern Conference and fell to 9-21 on the road.

UnCovering the Birds host Jeff McLane of The Inquirer joined two other Birds beat reporters, Zach Berman and Jimmy Kempski, for a roundtable discussion about the team’s offseason. From the leadership of Nick Sirianni to Jalen Hurts’ future to Howie Roseman’s roster strategies, they covered it all. Listen here.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from EJ Smith, Alex Coffey, Keith Pompey, Mike Sielski, Gina Mizell, Jackie Spiegel, Jonathan Tannenwald, Jeff Neiburg, Aaron Carter, Lochlahn March, and Colin Beazley.

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.

That’s all for today after the busiest sports Sunday since the Eagles went quietly into the playoff night. See you in Tuesday’s newsletter. — Jim