Ready for Game 7? | Sports Daily Newsletter

Jayson Tatum woke up just in time for the Boston Celtics, and the 76ers scored only 13 points in the fourth quarter Thursday night. The Sixers missed their chance to wrap up the Eastern Conference semifinals in a 95-86 loss at the Wells Fargo Center.

Now the series heads to Boston for a decisive Game 7 on Sunday. A silver lining for the Sixers: They’ll get an extra day of rest, which could benefit Joel Embiid and his aching right knee.

Tatum was suffering through a miserable night with his shot — at one point he was 1-for-14 from the field — but he drained four three-pointers in the fourth quarter when it mattered the most.

Both teams were tremendous on defense, but the Sixers had no answer for Tatum (19 points) down the stretch. Now, if Doc Rivers’ team is to keep its title dreams alive, it must win in Boston for the third time in this series.

— Jim Swan, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

Easy may be somewhat boring, but it would have been nice.

And, ultimately, the Sixers couldn’t make history on their home court. While they played well enough to win in many facets of the game, they couldn’t get the job done in the area that matters the most, David Murphy writes.

Marcus Hayes pointed to one player in particular who needs to step up if the Sixers are to break their second-round slump.

One way or another, it’ll be judgment day for the Sixers.

Next: The pivotal Game 7 is on Sunday at TD Garden in Boston.

The wait is over. The NFL schedule was released Thursday night, and let’s just say the Eagles didn’t get many breaks.

The Birds open up on the road at the Patriots and play two of their first three games in prime time. EJ Smith looks at the full schedule, including a four-game gauntlet against Kansas City, Buffalo, San Francisco, and Dallas.

How will the Eagles fare in 2023? Our beat writers gave their initial game-by-game predictions starting with Week 1.

While the Eagles return many faces, one new one is defensive coordinator Sean Desai. He held his introductory news conference Thursday and harped about the “workman mentality” he brings to his job.

unCovering the Birds with Jeff McLane Ep 7: The “Assassin” | Jason Babin

Jason Babin was a hell-raiser. On and off the field. It’s a quality that made him a crippling force on the Eagles’ defensive line, and, at times, a combative presence inside the team’s locker room. If Babin was so good, what made his exit from Philadelphia so ugly? In the latest episode of unCovering the Birds, Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane revisits one of the most tumultuous periods in recent team history.

New episodes are released every Friday. Sign up to receive a reminder for Episode 8 when McLane dissects the deep, tangled web of circumstances and experiences at the root of former Eagle Cary Williams’ defiant attitude.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts or go to Inquirer.com/podcasts.

Craig Kimbrel felt out of rhythm after allowing six runs over two appearances against the Dodgers last week. So he got to work with Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham and they focused on shifting his momentum back toward the plate. So far, it’s been effective. And, with José Alvarado on the injured list, it comes at the right time.

Next: The Phillies open a three-game series in Denver at 8:40 p.m. Friday (NBCSP). Taijuan Walker (3-2, 5.97 ERA) will start against left-hander Austin Gomber (3-4, 6.75).

The Flyers continued their “new era of orange” Thursday, the team announcing two front-office hires. Keith Jones was named the team’s president of hockey operations, while Danny Brière formally had the interim tag removed from his general manager title.

Here’s what the Flyers are saying about the roles each will play in the team’s rebuild.

Speaking of Jones, here’s everything you need to know about the former Flyer turned broadcaster, including his role in likely saving a certain Flyers legend’s life.

We asked you: Do you think the Phillies are turning a corner? Among your responses:

When you look at the box score information after a game you see a very high team batting average with the exception of Kyle Schwarber. We can only hope he pulls a repeat of last season as the weather is getting warmer. Our problem offensively is that we’re leaving too many men on base and not getting timely hits to advance runners. BUT, Bryce Harper is back and contributing, which adds more depth to an already formidable lineup.

When Ranger Suarez returns, he will definitely take some pressure off Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler, who have looked much better in their recent starts. ...

Moving forward, we’ll start seeing a lot of games against the Mets and Braves which will be fun and could very well determine which of the three teams make the playoffs. The Braves seem like a lock at this point. — Larry D.

In a perfect world I’d like to say yes. ... The key to turning the corner is keeping everyone healthy .Hard to do in a long season. Also keeping the rotation intact is key. Losing Jose Alvarado for any amount of time is a blow. ... Having Bryce heat up would spark some momentum as well. Lots of variables so we shall see. — Kathy T.

I believe they are starting to turn the corner on their season, but I am afraid it will be kind of a slow turn since they have to go to Colorado and then San Francisco in the coming week. The weather in both places is typically cooler, which could hinder the Phillies bats warming up. By the time they return to Philly it should be warmer here and hittin’ season should begin. At that point I think the turn they are making will speed up! — Bill R.

No! More like going in circles. The worst teams can win 3 in a row. — Andy A.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Keith Pompey, Gina Mizell, Marcus Hayes, David Murphy, Alex Coffey, Giana Han, Kerith Gabriel, Josh Tolentino, Jeff McLane, EJ Smith, Cayden Steele, and Ciara Richards.