Renaissance man | Sports Daily Newsletter

Back in September, the Sixers signed Kelly Oubre Jr. to a minimum deal.

Now, he’s a key player to a squad battling for playoff positioning. Last season, Oubre scored a career-high 20.3 points per game. His numbers aren’t as high this season, but he doesn’t have to do as much, with a rotating cast of standouts around him. Plus, those numbers don’t show just how important he is defensively.

He has played a variety of roles this season and done it well — despite missing time because of an accident early in the season. Teammate Kyle Lowry even called Oubre’s performances “phenomenal.” Here’s why.

Without backcourt duo Tyrese Maxey and Lowry in the lineup on Tuesday, the Sixers blew past the Detroit Pistons, 120-102, led by Joel Embiid’s 37-point double-double.

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

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Sean Couturier, who was injured on April 1 in the Flyers’ 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders, returned to the ice against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night. It’s been an up-and-down season for Couturier, who was a healthy scratch for two games after being named team captain in March.

Despite his much needed return in the team’s playoff hopes, the Flyers dropped their eighth straight game in a 9-3 drubbing against the Canadiens.

Next: With fading playoff hopes, the Flyers face the New York Rangers on Thursday (7 p.m., NBCSP).

All-time Eagles great and Super Bowl champion Fletcher Cox was surrounded by family and friends in his farewell press conference Tuesday. It was the end of his NFL career after 12 seasons with the Eagles. Cox decided he wanted to “go live life a little bit.”

David Murphy writes that it’s laughable to think, as many do, that the pitch clock is responsible for the rash of pitcher injuries throughout baseball right now. It’s a little more complicated than that, and eliminating it isn’t going to solve anything.

Seranthony Domínguez has given up two homers with his slider, but the Phillies say they aren’t concerned.

In Zack Wheeler’s third start this season, the Phillies’ offense squandered their scoring opportunities in a 3-0 loss at the St. Louis Cardinals.

Next: The Phillies wrap up their series in St. Louis at 1:15 p.m. today (NBCSP). Aaron Nola (1-1, 5.40 ERA) will start against Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn (0-0, 4.15).

Tiger Woods is 48 and says he thinks he can win a record-tying sixth Masters.

That really would be something, considering he hasn’t finished a full-field tournament in 14 months. Will he be able to physically handle the terrain at Augusta National amid cold, rainy conditions? We’ll see.

So maybe, the focus should be on making the cut, Marcus Hayes writes.

As for the rest of the field, Sergio Garcia claimed that the rift between the PGA and LIV tours was caused by the media. What?

Who has won NBA MVP the most times?

Answer: B: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The former Milwaukee Buck and Los Angeles Laker was named MVP six times (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, and 1980). Tom L. was first with the correct answer.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from David Murphy, Keith Pompey, Gina Mizell, Jackie Spiegel, Olivia Reiner, Scott Lauber, Marcus Hayes, Owen McCue, Kevin Gamlin, Rymir Vaughn, and Colin Beazley.

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