All is bright | Sports Daily Newsletter
James Harden continued rounding into form as Joel Embiid had another dominant scoring performance.
On Tuesday night, all was right in the NBA world — at least for the Sixers, anyway.
They beat up on an inferior team in the Kings (though, at 14-12, one of the league’s surprises thus far), shooting 51.2% from the floor.
Just a couple days removed from his 53-point effort against the Charlotte Hornets, Joel Embiid finished with 31 points in what shaped up to be a classic Sixers win that also featured strong play from other stars like James Harden. A 41-point second-quarter outburst helped seal the blowout win for the Sixers.
Embiid summed it up succinctly following the game.
“That’s how we need to play,” Embiid said. " ... For us to win, we’ve got to move the ball and we’ve got to play together.”
— Maria McIlwain, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
❓ Do you think the Sixers will begin turning a corner following this win? Why or why not? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.
Jalen Hurts spent about 2½ hours his off day Tuesday visiting Walter B. Saul High School, where Roxborough football player Nicolas Elizalde attended school before he was shot to death following a scrimmage. He spent time with Elizalde’s family and gave the school something to smile about. He was greeted with “MVP” chants as well.
The Eagles were active in filling in holes on their roster, bringing back safety Anthony Harris to the practice squad after Reed Blankenship suffered an injury in Sunday’s win against the Giants. Harris has the experience of playing last season for the Eagles, and he previously played for defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
Injuries at safety and punter have kept Howie Roseman busy with practice squad additions, and columnist Marcus Hayes has a Q&A with the GM to get to know the man behind the moves.
Shake Milton caught the ball, dribbled right past James Harden as he motioned for the ball and missed a layup. The play wasn’t pretty but it proved to 76ers coach Doc Rivers that Milton had maintained his aggression despite the return of his star teammates.
Milton, who was pushed into a starting role as Harden and Tyrese Maxey endured injuries, moved into a focal role as Harden, Maxey, and Joel Embiid were in and out of the lineup. Milton told The Inquirer he views his teammates as an asset, not a hindrance. “I’m surrounded by great players, so I’m going to find a way.”
Next: The Sixers continue to carry their win streak into a 7:30 p.m. Friday meeting with the Golden State Warriors at the Wells Fargo Center.
The Phillies’ free-agent moves have made their share of headlines, but let’s not forget the young players who could help push them over the top. In Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, and Brandon Marsh, the Phillies have a trio of former top prospects who still have plenty of room to grow.
The Flyers have been in a lot of games this season, as nine of their 20 losses have come by a single goal. That includes an 0-7 record in overtime and shootout games.
John Tortorella believes poor game management has been the root cause of the team’s struggles in tight games. As the young Flyers are learning the hard way, the difference between winning often can be found in the details.
The Flyers’ latest skid reached four with Tuesday night’s loss to the Avalanche.
Next: The Flyers wrap up their four-game road trip Thursday in East Rutherford against the New Jersey Devils (7 p.m., NBCSP).
After an exhilarating 3-0 win over Croatia, Argentina is in the World Cup final.
Now France and Morocco battle it out in the remaining semifinal to determine which opponent the Argentines will face for the trophy. Jonathan Tannenwald has all you need to know ahead of the match.
Next: Follow all of our World Cup coverage.
Worth a look
Clawing back: Villanova is back at .500. Here’s how they got there.
Simmons’ legacy: Curt Simmons, the last of the Whiz Kids dies at 93.
‘He was effortless’: Prominent names in Philly hoops remember Donny Dodds.
Trivia Tuesday answer
We asked you: Who is the last Eagle to be named MVP of the Pro Bowl?
B) Nick Foles was Pro Bowl MVP in 2014. Jeff S. was first with the correct answer.
What you’re saying about the Eagles
We asked, which Eagles player most impressed you against the Giants and why? Among your responses:
Jalen Hurts — you can look up the stats from the Giants game. Many are called but few are chosen. — Mark R.
Frankly, the whole damn team was impressive — offense, defense, special teams, but I was most impressed by Miles Sanders. He did everything. The 144 yards on the ground speaks for itself (and for the O-line), but the thing that really caught my eye was his blocking, particular on one of the QB draw plays. Miles Sanders is da man! Sign him, Howie! — Pankis
Jalen, he’s awesome!!! — Jill L.
I was really impressed by the tight end play of Calcaterra and Stoll. 4 receptions for 44 yards and great job of blocking both on the line and downfield. Ask MS if he likes Calcaterra’s block on the big TD run. Nice to see 2nd tier depth chart guys step up! — Dave S.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jonathan Tannenwald, Gina Mizell, Marcus Hayes, David Murphy, Ellie Rushing, Giana Han, EJ Smith, Jeff Neiburg, Frank Fitzpatrick, Mike Jensen, and Marcus Hayes.