But the Sixers’ best chance to win comes from the effort and aggressiveness of their less-heralded players. If they move the quickest to a loose ball, if they fight the hardest for rebounds, if they work the hardest on defense, maybe it’ll be enough.
And it’s up to Maxey and Embiid to keep others involved on offense by willingly making necessary passes.
That’s what is happening during the Sixers’ three-game winning streak.
They had five double-figure scorers in Saturday’s 130-119 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
But the Sixers started the winning streak off with six double-digit scorers in Tuesday’s 139-136 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. And the Sixers followed that with five double-figure scorers in their New Year’s Day 123-108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
Embiid had 34 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and two blocks against the Grizzlies, while Maxey had 34 points and 12 assists. The standout point guard came back with 34 points, 10 assists, two steals, and two blocks against the Mavs, while Embiid added 22 points and six assists.
And on Saturday, Maxey had 36 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and a steal, while Embiid finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists to knock off the Knicks (23-12) for the second time this season.
Sixers center Joel Embiid has to keep VJ Edgecombe involved moving forward.
Following Thursday’s game, Embiid noted that he was getting back to the dominant player he had been before being derailed by left knee injuries over the past two seasons. Before the injuries, the 2023 league MVP and seven-time All-Star felt like he could score 40 or 50 points every night.
“I can be more aggressive, but I feel like I’m also smarter,” Embiid said.
The 7-foot-2 center is starting to do what the team needs instead of looking for his own shot. Concentrating on scoring in previous games this season led to the ball becoming stagnant. As a result, his teammates, primarily VJ Edgecombe, became less impactful.
Sometimes, the rookie guard rarely touched the ball while Embiid hoisted up shots. But against Memphis, Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in this summer’s draft, scored 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and sank the game-winning three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in overtime.
He followed that with 23 points on 9-for-14 shooting to go with a game-high four steals against the Mavs. And on Saturday, Edgecombe jump-started the Sixers’ rout by scoring 18 of his 26 points in the first half.
The shooting guard has shown off his shooting progress over the past three games, in which he’s made 14 of 25 three-pointers. Previously, Edgecombe was vastly underutilized offensively when Embiid.
The Sixers also have benefited from staggering Maxey and Embiid, allowing both to be aggressive. The tactic also allows for the offense to run through each player during specific stretches. They’ve also been successful utilizing a twin towers lineup featuring Embiid and Adem Bona at times. In that lineup, Embiid slides to power forward.
In this pairing, the Sixers incorporate drives to the basket that end with dump-offs to Bona. They also have high-percentage scoring plays, in which Embiid receives the ball at the elbow and dishes it to Bona underneath the basket. Another option is for Embiid to drive the lane and fire to wide-open three-point shooters in the corner.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (8) is defended by Sixers post players Joel Embiid (21) and forward Adem Bona (30) on Tuesday.
Bona’s presence helps provide rebounding and rim protection. Meanwhile, Embiid gets to display his shooting and passing skills.
And for them to continue to win, his passing skills must be on full display. Maxey, who’s the league’s third-leading scorer at 31.0 points per game, can shoulder the load.
Edgecombe, Paul George, and Quentin Grimes can also help in that category. While he’s going to get his points, Embiid’s focus should be on assisting teammates to get easier shots and making sure there’s constant ball movement.
The 76ers are bona fide NBA Eastern Conference contenders.
VJ Edgecombe has Daryl Morey looking like a genius for drafting him over Ace Bailey. And Tyrese Maxey’s impact on the defensive end doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
Those things stood out in Saturday’s 130-119 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Legitimate contenders
For most of the season, the Sixers (19-14) have been an enigma.
Bombarded with injuries and illness, they have yet to play with a full roster. And their Big Three of Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George were winless in their first four games together. But the belief was that once they got into rhythm, they would become a legitimate contender.
The Sixers are riding a three-game winning streak with Maxey, Embiid, and George playing in all those games. Saturday’s victory also marked the second time in as many meetings that they’ve defeated the second-place Knicks (23-12) this season.
Their first victory was a 116-107 decision at MSG on Dec. 19. The Sixers have won two of their meetings against the third-place Boston Celtics. And the team is only expected to get better once small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee ligament) and reserve power forward Trendon Watford (strained adductor muscle in his left thigh) return.
While they remain in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, the Sixers are three games behind the Knicks with 49 games remaining.
Maxey finished with a game-high 36 points to go with eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal. The All-NBA caliber point guard scored 20 of his points after halftime.
And the Sixers had a balanced attack for the third consecutive game. Embiid (26 points, 10 rebounds, five assists), Edgecombe (26 points, four assists, two blocks, two steals), George (15 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two blocks), and Quentin Grimes (10 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks) were the other double-digit scorers.
The Sixers blocked 10 shots, and out-rebounded the Knicks, 47-44, with 17 of 36 three-pointers made. If Embiid and George can remain healthy, the Sixers will be a problem for the East’s contending teams.
“I think that only thing that’s missing in these first stretch of games is just some consistency and having the same guys out on the floor,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I think you can see some things growing. There was probably about 40 plus minutes making the absolute right decision on offense. …
“Having the same guys out there has been an issue this year, as well. Hopefully, we can smooth that out a little bit and build and get a few wrinkles in, counters, and you get to add defensive schemes all that kind of stuff if you keep the same guys out there.”
Sixers forward Paul George looks to get past Knicks center Mitchell Robinson in the team’s win against New York on Saturday.
The perfect selection
After the Sixers were awarded the third pick in June’s NBA draft, Morey, the team’s president of basketball operations, was determined to add a young standout who could add roster flexibility and co-star with Maxey to take pressure off Embiid and George, who are overcoming injuries.
Edgecombe and Bailey were the main options.
Once the Sixers were awarded the third pick in June’s NBA draft, there was a significant debate regarding whom the team should draft.
Some believed the Sixers had to select Bailey out of Rutgers. The small forward eventually could replace George, who was coming off one of his worst NBA seasons. Additionally, the thought was that Bailey, who had the most significant upside, could be a star down the road.
Meanwhile, Edgecombe was a highlight waiting to happen at Baylor.
The 6-foot-5, 193-pounder was known for his scoring ability — especially in transition and at the rim. The Bahamian also possessed solid playmaking skills and defensive instincts. But the belief was that an inability to dribble or make three-pointers would make selecting him a gamble.
But Morey, the Sixers president of basketball operations, still selected him despite the concerns. Outside of drafting Maxey, that might have been the best decision during his Sixers tenure.
Edgecombe torched the Knicks, scoring his 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting – including making 4 of 9 three-pointers. The 20-year-old scored 18 of his points in the first half while making 7 of 10 shots, highlighted by going 4-for-6 on three-pointers.
This performance comes after Edgecombe made a combined 8-for-16 three-pointers in the last two games. In one of those contests, the 20-year-old scored 13 of his 25 points in the third quarter and scored the game-winning three-pointer to give the Sixers a 139-136 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
And who can forget the 34 points he scored against the Boston Celtics in the season-opening victory?
It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954.
All these accomplishments are reasons that Edgecombe’s selection has Morey and the Sixers looking like geniuses.
“He’s been awesome,” Nurse said of Edgecombe. “I think just, again, the composure. I think that he has it just so steady out there. He plays like a 10-year vet with his composure. He just kind of keeps making plays. He does a little bit of everything, which is great.”
Maxey scored at least 30 points for the 17th time this season. The sixth-year veteran is third in the league in scoring at 31.1 points per game. He’s also 11th in assists at 7.1 per game. But the league MVP candidate is also excelling on defense.
Maxey is fourth in the league in steals at 1.8 per game. He also blocked 28 shots this season, which is five off his high for a season.
His ability to track down players, get swats, and knack for getting in passing lanes have been a significant bonus for the Sixers this season.
One can argue that he’s been one of the league’s most well-rounded players this season. For that, he’s deserving of being voted an All-Star starter and garnering All-NBA honors.
“He’s been much better this year,” Nurse said of Maxey’s defense. “I think the whole way. I think you’d agree that he’s into the ball, he’s over screens, getting his share of pick-sixes, getting his share of turnovers. So he’s been really alerted on that end of the floor, I think all season. He just keeps getting better.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 36 points, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe each had 26 and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the New York Knicks 130-119 on Saturday night for their third straight victory.
Paul George added 15 points and Quentin Grimes had 10 for the Sixers, who won at Madison Square Garden for the second time this season. Embiid also grabbed 10 rebounds.
Philadelphia extended its streak to 9-0 when Edgecombe started the second quarter with a 3-pointer. Consecutive three-pointers from Anunoby and Jordan Clarkson put the Knicks back in the lead.
Jalen Brunson scored 31 points for the Knicks, who have lost three straight for the second time this season. Karl-Anthony Towns, who returned after missing one game due to illness, added 23 points and 14 rebounds.
Deuce McBride scored 20 points, OG Anunoby had 19 and Mikal Bridges added 12 for New York.
The Knicks were ahead 30-25 when the Sixers scored the final six points of the first quarter and led 31-30.
Trailing 38-37, the 76ers produced a 9-0 run and grabbed the lead for good. They went ahead by 13 before the Knicks scored the last five points of the second quarter and cut their deficit to 66-58 at halftime.
Embiid’s two free throws gave Philadelphia its largest lead at 96-77 with 3 minutes, 13 seconds remaining in the third quarter. The Knicks’ 10-3 run pulled them within 99-87 heading into the fourth.
Towns’ bucket opened the final quarter and his three-point play with 9:59 left brought the Knicks within 103-94.
The 76ers regained a 15-point lead, but Anunoby’s free throws with 2:08 left got the Knicks within 121-114. However, a Maxey free throw, a layup from Grimes and a a decisive jam from Edgecombe would follow and the Knicks never got any closer.
Next up for the Sixers is a return to Xfinity Mobile Arena to take on the Denver Nuggets on Monday (8:30 p.m., Peacock).
Through three quarters against the University of Texas at San Antonio on Saturday, Temple’s offense was nonexistent.
The Owls finally got going in the fourth quarter — scoring 20 points — and suddenly trailed by three in the final 10 seconds.
Temple had two chances to tie the game, thanks to four missed free throws from UTSA. However, the Owls committed a turnover on the first chance, and guard Tristen Taylor missed a three-pointer at the buzzer as Temple lost its conference opener, 50-47.
The Owls (6-7, 0-1 American) shot 28.1% from the field and missed 20 three-point attempts. Taylor led the way with 18 points in her first game back from an ankle injury.
“UTSA played really, really hard,” said coach Diane Richardson. “I don’t think we played hard enough. I think we waited until the fourth quarter to play Temple basketball. We can’t go through the conference like that. That’s going to be the reality and it has to change.”
Next, Temple will visit Wichita State on Tuesday (7 p.m., listen live).
Ice-cold offense
Temple had 11 days off, and its offense showed plenty of rust from the break.
The Owls have struggled with slow starts before and were cold again in the first 20 minutes. Temple missed its first five shots before finally getting a layup from Taylor. However, the basket did not create any momentum.
The Owls made eight baskets in the first half, which was the same amount of fouls they committed and just one more than their number of turnovers. They also missed all 12 three-point attempts.
Temple’s Kaylah Turner looks to push through UTSA’s defense on Saturday.
“We were executing our plays properly, but we just weren’t hitting our shots,” said Drew Alexander, who finished with 11 points. “I think we just need to make our shots.”
The third quarter showed no improvement.
Temple shot 1-for-11 from the field in the third frame, but made 6 of 8 free throws to keep the contest within reach. Though the Owls found some momentum in the fourth quarter, it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.
Temple finished with its lowest field-goal percentage of the season and recorded no bench points.
Taylor returns
Taylor suffered an ankle injury during the Owls’ 84-64 win over Western Carolina on Nov. 30 and missed the next four games. Without its starting point guard and main facilitator, Temple went 2-2.
While the rest of the offense struggled, Taylor didn’t miss a beat.
She led the Owls in scoring in the first half with eight points and was aggressive in hunting for shots. Her calming presence kept Temple in the game during the third quarter, while UTSA (7-6, 2-0) looked to put it out of reach.
The Roadrunners pushed their lead to 13 with 7 minutes, 11 seconds left in the third quarter before Taylor took over. She connected on the Owls’ first three-pointer, then made four straight free throws to cut the deficit to six.
“The one thing about Tristen is [that] she could have one leg falling off and still give us everything she’s got,” Richardson said. “I don’t know the status of her ankle after this; she played 37 minutes. But you can’t tell with a person like Tristen, who’s a dog.”
Taylor’s 18 points came on 5-for-12 shooting.
“I felt good,” Taylor said. “I felt like I worked my way back from my injury, and I was doing the things out there in the game during practice so I felt comfortable and confident today.”
Turner’s shooting struggles
While Taylor was sidelined, guard Kaylah Turner shouldered the offensive load. The junior was named to the American preseason first-team all-conference and showed why while Taylor was injured.
Turner averaged 23 points in the four games, capped with a 36-point outburst against Princeton on Dec. 22. Entering Saturday, Turner led the American in points and three-point percentage and was second in field-goal percentage.
However, against the best defense in the conference, Turner lost her shooting touch.
The Roadrunners prevented her from getting comfortable on offense, and she shot 3-for-18 from the field, including 1-for-7 from deep to record seven points.
EDMONTON, Alberta ― The Flyers kick-started 2026 with a bang.
In their first game of the new year, the Orange and Black handed the blue and orange Edmonton Oilers a 5-2 loss. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering the Flyers are now 13-1-5 after a loss; they lost to the Calgary Flames on New Year’s Eve.
The win helped the Flyersclose out a five-game road trip, which began in Chicago before the holiday break, with a 3-2-0 record. It was the fourth victory in their past six games.
And while Connor McDavid did get a goal and an assist, Leon Draisaitl had a plus-minus of minus-3, as the Flyers had more shot attempts, shots on goal, and scoring chances than the high-flying Oilers.
“Those are the moments that I think a lot of guys in here are living for,” said goalie Dan Vladař, who was outstanding in net, stopping 22 of 24 shots. “If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best, right? That’s what we’ve been told since we were young. Obviously, we’re still not the best, but we are doing everything we can to get to the best spot as we can.
“We still know it’s a lot of hockey left, but I think that if you’re going to follow our leaders and the coaching staff, that we are going to be in a good spot.”
All Bark
Denver Barkey has been waiting patiently for that first NHL goal, and it was worth the wait.
Barkey started the breakout from deep in the Flyers’ end when he pickpocketed Vasily Podkolzin along the end boards and then skated the puck up between the Russian winger and the net. He hit Sean Couturier on the right wing as the captain, and Owen Tippett went two-on-two with the Oilers’ defensemen.
Denver Barkey (carrying the puck by the net) started the breakout deep in the Flyers’ end. His play trapped three Oilers forwards deep, allowing the 20-year-old winger to rush up the ice to finish with his first NHL goal.
Couturier sent a leading pass to Tippett as the two crossed just before the Oilers’ blue line, and he carried the puck in. Meanwhile, Barkey was speeding down the center of the ice and heading toward the net. He got behind the defense and tapped the perfect pass from Tippett past former Flyers goalie Calvin Pickard.
“He’s been playing great for us [and] he’s been generating chances, it was only a matter of time before he put one in, and [I’m] happy for him,” Travis Sanheim said. “He deserves it, and it was a big goal for us.”
“Kind of settled us down a bit,” he added as the Oilers had a little more control to start the game. “And then ended up getting a couple more [goals] there. And I thought it kick-started us.”
Barkey’s first NHL goal comes in his seventh game, complementing the two assists he had in his debut. His first NHL goal also comes in the building in which Matvei Michkov scored his first two goals last season.
“I think just over time as many reps you get with each other, you start to get more comfortable,” Barkey said when asked about his confidence. “But I think they’ve done a great job of making me feel welcome [and] comfortable playing on their line since day one. So I think that’s helped a lot. I’m just super grateful to be playing with two really, really talented hockey players.”
Couturier finished with two assists, and Tippett had a goal (a late empty-netter) and an assist as the line was plus-2 on the night.
“Yeah, that’s the key, right?” coach Rick Tocchet said of Barkey’s play in his own end. “[Heck] of a defensive play and then playing a 200-foot game. I thought Couturier’s line was outstanding tonight. They were really good. Coots had a great game. Tipp and Barkey, they were the main reason why we won tonight.”
Barkey’s goal gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead for only the 13th time this season. It is the fewest in the NHL — which probably explains why the Flyers have the most wins when trailing, 1-0 (13-9-5).
But it was a lucky No. 13 for the Flyers, who won for the eighth time as they kept piling it on.
Travis Sanheim made it 2-0 when the Couturier line went to work again. After a Barkey pass to Tippett missed its mark, Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse got the puck and sent it up the boards. Podkolzin couldn’t control it, and it bounced out to Couturier above the circles.
The Flyers captain put a shot on immediately that Pickard stopped before Couturier got it again near the slot. The rebound went out to Sanheim, and the defenseman, who was named on New Year’s Eve to Canada’s squad for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, walked into the right circle and sent the wrister into the back of the net.
The goal is Sanheim’s fourth of the year and 18th point.
Bobby Brink then made it 3-0 with his 11th of the year, one shy of his career high set last season in 79 games.
Brink started the play when he intercepted a stretch pass by Evan Bouchard on the Flyers’ side of the neutral zone. He carried the puck into the Oilers’ end before dishing it over to Michkov along the right boards.
The sophomore winger took his time and hit Cam York as he skated down the middle. York waited as the Oilers put a double screen on their goalie before he shot the puck, which ended up going off the leg of Brink.
“Obviously, it’s a tough thing to go into the game thinking that you can play up and down hockey against this team. So I thought that everybody played responsible hockey in here, and we just outgrinded them,” Vladař said.
“We knew that if you were going to play good defense, you were going to have those opportunities and that we are skilled enough to take advantage of it, and we did. So great for the guys in front of me, they did much of the work today.”
Bobby Brink is already approaching his career high in goals.
Bending but not breaking
Much like the Flyers, there is no quit in this Oilers team, which has gone to the Stanley Cup final the past two seasons.
McDavid cut into the Flyers’ lead to extend his point streak to 15 games with a breakaway goal on Vladař in the first period. Sanheim carried the puck from Philly’s end into the Oilers zone and tried to send a cross-ice pass to Couturier; however, it was picked off by Edmonton defenseman Mattias Ekholm.
The Swede sent it up to McDavid, who skated in and notched his 25th of the season and 1,153rd point of his career in 754 games.
“Yeah, I thought, minus my turnover in the first, I think we did a pretty good job against them,” Sanheim said. “Just the whole team buying in and understanding you’re playing against two of the best players in the world, and you’ve got to be smart out there.
“And for the most part, I thought we were, and that’s kind of why we ended up on the winning side.”
In the second period, Michkov was called for high-sticking Mattias Janmark as he carried the puck through the neutral zone. Not the best move when the Oilers entered the day with the NHL’s best power play at 33.3%. And just over a minute into the man advantage, Bouchard scored with a slapshot from the point to make it 3-2.
“No, just breathe,” said Vladař, when asked if the talkative netminder said anything to his teammates after the second goal. “And, obviously, it’s hockey. It’s not always going to be perfect, and especially against a team like that, they’re going to get their chances, and eventually they’re going to capitalize, right?
“So, just trying to be positive as always, and obviously, I always had the trust in our group and the guys in front of me. So, I was really confident that we can pull those two points for me.”
After allowing just five shots on goal in the second period — Bouchard’s goal came on the third shot — the Flyers held the Oilers to just six in the final frame. They all came in the final 6 minutes, 24 seconds after Nick Seeler scored his first goal of the season off a faceoff win by Rodrigo Ābols to make it 4-2.
“We get those three in the first there, and they make it 3-2. So we just wanted to do what we’re doing in the first there, and play consistent and be above their top guys,” Seeler said. “Obviously, they have a couple of the best players on the planet so contain them the best you can, and try to match their speed. And I thought we did a good job.”
Philly is now 14-0-1 when leading after two periods, with all but one win needing a shootout. Nine of those wins were also by three goals. And they are 8-0-2 when leading after one period, with two of those wins going to a shootout.
“I think the conversation in the room [heading into the third] was just don’t get on your heels,” Barkey said. “Stay on our toes; I think that’s when we’re at our best. And we’re shutting them down, and we’re creating offense when we’re on our toes. So continue to stay on our toes and not get back on our heels and start watching the game come to us.”
Breakaways
Defenseman Noah Juulsen and forwards Nic Deslauriers and Nikita Grebenkin were the healthy scratches. … Forward Garnet Hathaway returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for six games. He dropped the gloves with Darnell Nurse in the first period and had a game-high six hits with a plus-1. … Defenseman Emil Andrae also returned after being a healthy scratch against the Flames. He played 15:52 and was plus-1. … The semifinals are set at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. Jack Berglund and Sweden will face Heikki Ruohonen, Max Westergård, and Finland on Sunday (4:30 p.m., NHLN). In the other semi, Czechia goes up against Jett Luchanko, Porter Martone, and Canada (8:30 p.m., NHLN).
Up next
The Flyers return home to face Ryan Poehling, Cutter Gauthier, and the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday (7 p.m., NBCSP).
Eagles legend Billy Ray Barnes, the three-time Pro Bowl halfback, who aided in the team’s 1960 NFL Championship, died on Wednesday in his hometown of Landis, N.C.
He was 90.
Mr. Barnes was a second-round selection in the 1957 NFL draft out of Wake Forest and spent five seasons in Philadelphia.
“He was 90 and had a fabulous life,” said Mr. Barnes’ daughter, Billi Barnes Akins, via statement.
In his first year, Mr. Barnes led the Eagles in both rushing and receiving. He would go on to end his career in Philly with 2,391 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns, and had eight more scores on 120 receptions.
Mr. Barnes had stints in Washington (1962-63) and Minnesota (1965-66). After his playing career, he served as an assistant coach with the Saints and Falcons.
He was inducted into the Wake Forest Hall of Fame in 1975 following his stellar college career, where he earned All-America honors, and in 1956, became the first player in the Atlantic Coast Conference to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season.
Mr. Barnes returned to Philadelphia in 2010 for the 50-year reunion of the 1960 NFL championship team.
“The biggest thing was the friendships that he had made there,” Akins said. “They were lifelong. He talked to a bunch of guys on the phone for years. He enjoyed everything about Philadelphia.”
It wasn’t always pretty, but Villanova men’s basketball extended its winning streak to five and preserved its undefeated Big East record with a 85-67 road win against Butler on Saturday in Indianapolis.
The Wildcats (12-2, 3-0) got out to a slow and sometimes sloppy start, which allowed Butler (10-5, 1-3) to take an early lead. Villanova turned the ball over seven times within the first nine minutes and trailed Butler by as many as nine points in the first half.
However, Villanova poured in 55 points in the second half, nearly doubling its first-half scoring performance to put the game away.
“I think sometimes when you have a young team, getting them to understand maybe just being a little bit more purposeful on the offensive end early in games,” said Villanova coach Kevin Willard. “I just thought we came out a little bit too casual to start. The turnovers kind of let us get down, but I felt we came out with a much better purpose in the second half.”
Villanova guard Bryce Lindsay (2), here in action vs. Pitt, led the Wildcats with 18 points vs. Butler on Saturday.
Villanova had just three second-half turnovers shot 55.2% from the field overall.
In the second half, Villanova held Butler’s two leading scorers, Michael Ajayi and Finley Bizjack, to a combined 12 points. Bizjack had 14 first-half points to power the Bulldogs’ early lead and finished with 18. Ajayi had 12 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists.
Redshirt sophomore guard Bryce Lindsay led Villanova in scoring with 18 points, shooting 7-for-13 (54%) from the field. Lindsay is averaging team-highs in points (16.8) and three-point percentage (44.8%) through 14 games.
Senior forward Duke Brennan continued his command of the paint, posting a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double. It marked Brennan’s fifth double-double of the season, and he is averaging 11.4 rebounds.
Villanova has been a consistent three-point shooting team through Big East play, but on Saturday only shot 1-for-12 from deep in the first half. Despite that, the Wildcats found a way to dig out of their early hole.
After closing the first half on a 7-2 scoring run, Villanova stretched that momentum into the second half. Lindsay and redshirt freshman forward Matt Hodge knocked down three-pointers in a 17-3 Villanova scoring run to open the second half.
Three-point shooting accounted for 18 of Villanova’s 55 second-half points as it shot 6-for-9 in the period. A majority of those threes came from Lindsay and Hodge. Lindsay shot 3-for-5, and Hodge went a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and finished with 17 points.
“We’re a good shooting team,” Willard said. “So we’re going to take a lot of threes. Bryce Lindsay is probably one of the best shooters in the country. He doesn’t get talked about a lot. [Hodge] can knock it down. Tyler Perkins [12 points on Saturday] is shooting over 40% [from three]. Then we come off the bench with Devin Askew. So, everyone we have out there, most times we have four guys out there that can shoot.”
It was the second straight game in which Villanova found late success with its three-point shooting after a poor first half. On Wednesday against DePaul, Villanova shot 7-for-10 from beyond the arc after going 3-for-13 in the first half.
Overall, Villanova is averaging 37.5% from beyond the arc this season.
Acaden Lewis has come a long way since he was benched for much of Villanova’s season opener against BYU, and the 6-foot-2 freshman guard has displayed confidence as the team’s main ballhandler.
He totaled 12 points, six assists, and five rebounds on Saturday. Lewis is second to Lindsay in scoring, averaging 12 points, and can find unusual ways to finish at the basket.
However, his passing abilities have earned him four Big East Freshman of the Week nods only halfway through the season. He has dished out 68 assists, which is double that of any other player on the team and is averaging 4.8 assists, which ranks third in the Big East.
Villanova, which entered the game 25th in the NCAA’s NET rankings, now has its second Quad 1 road win of the season. The Wildcats will return home to face Creighton (9-5, 3-0) on Wednesday (7:30 p.m., Peacock).
The Bluejays, which entered Saturday 49th in the NET rankings, was hit with a slew of injuries early in the season but has won four straight. Villanova has lost three straight to Creighton but leads the all-time series, 19-11.
Throughout Temple’s six-game winning streak, there has been an evident theme — inconstancy.
The Owls have been plagued by cold stretches in which they rely on their defense to keep them going. Saturday against UTSA was more of the same.
However, it didn’t matter as Gavin Griffiths’ 23-point performance and a 15-point, 12-assist double-double from Jordan Mason lifted Temple to a 76-57 victory and gave the program its longest winning streak under coach Adam Fisher.
“We’re really proud of this game today,” Fisher said. “We talk about this all the time. ‘Tougher together; 15 beats five.’ That’s been our mantra since we got together in June. … I have great respect for the [UTSA] program, and I thought we prepared yesterday the right way, and I thought that was key.
The Owls (10-5, 2-0 American) next host East Carolina (5-9, 0-1) on Wednesday (7 p.m., ESPN+).
Balance scoring attack
Near the end of Temple’s 76-73 win over Charlotte on Tuesday, guard Derrian Ford collided with 49ers center Anton Bonke. The senior was sidelined for the remaining three minutes and was inactive for Saturday’s contest, leaving the Owls without their scoring and rebounding leader as Masiah Gilyard slotted into the starting lineup.
Ford’s absence was apparent early, as Temple went 6 of 20 from the field over the first eight-plus minutes before making adjustments.
“Like Coach says, ‘15 beats five,’” Mason said. “So knowing he’s not going to play, and he’s a big piece. We just needed a little bit more from everybody. I feel like everybody just contributed a little bit more in their role.”
Temple’s Masiah Gilyard (10) goes for a layup against UTSA at the Liacouras Center on Saturday.
Little by little, Temple began to push the game out of reach as it entered halftime up, 39-30.
Six players scored in the first half, led by Mason’s 10 points, as the guard extended his double-digit scoring streak to six games.
Gilyard also provided a boost in Ford’s absence, finishing with nine points and eight rebounds.
“We knew other guys had to step up,” Fisher said. “I thought [Gilyard] set the tone. I think we grabbed three or four offensive guns in the first possession. We missed five wide-open shots. But the tone was set.”
Points left on the board
Temple lacked in three-point shooting on Saturday, which was a rarity for an offense that is second in the American in three-point percentage.
The Owls shot just 9-of-27 from deep, so they had to put an emphasis on getting buckets down low.
Temple’s Aiden Tobiason shoots a three-pointer against UTSA on Saturday.
However, the lack of offense put Temple in a similar position it had been in for most of this season: relying on the defense. UTSA (4-10, 0-2) got within eight points with 14 minutes, 2 seconds left, , but the Owls regrouped and held them to 32.7% shooting on the day.
Griffiths’ second half
With UTSA trying to cut into Temple’s lead, the Owls needed someone to step up.
After his 10-point first half, Mason had just five second-half points. However, he had 12 assists, the most since guard Mardy Collins in 2006. Aiden Tobiason also was inconsistent and finished with 13 points on 4-for-13 shooting.
Ford typically would be the go-to hand. Instead, it was Griffiths.
Griffiths scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half, anchoring Temple’s offense. His performance was just two points shy of his career high, which he set as a freshman at Rutgers. He also finished with a season-high seven blocks and two steals.
“I feel like I got a lot of really good looks today,” Griffiths said. “I was put in a position to make a lot of threes.”
Inquirer staff writer Colin Schofield contributed to this article.
Maybe Bryce Harper is still ticked off. Maybe, even after his air-clearing with Dave Dombrowski, he implanted a chip on his shoulder. Maybe he’s just trying to sell T-shirts.
Either way, he got our attention.
As usual.
In case you missed it, because the holidays can be hectic, the Face of the Phillies posted a 101-second TikTok video in which he took seven swings while wearing a long-sleeve black shirt with two words — NOT ELITE — printed in all caps across the chest.
Whatever the motivation, Harper’s choice in workout wear was as intentional as his “Rivalry Pack” cleats or his color-coordinated arm sleeves. He rarely does or says anything without thinking it through.
And if Dombrowski’s candid assessment of Harper’s 2025 — “He didn’t have an elite season like he has had in the past,” the Phillies’ president of baseball operations said in October — rang in Harper’s ears as he rang in the New Year, well, would it be so bad? The last time someone publicly slighted him, Harper homered twice and stared a hole through Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia in Game 3 of the divisional series in 2023.
Besides, Dombrowski wasn’t wrong. Although he omitted the inflamed right wrist that sidelined Harper for a month and ate into his counting stats (e.g., homers, RBIs, walks), Harper lagged in other areas.
To wit: Harper swung at 35.6% of pitches out of the strike zone, 129th among 144 qualified hitters, according to Statcast, and worse than the league average (28.4%) and his career mark (29.3%). If you’re wondering why he faced a lower rate of strikes (43%) than any hitter in baseball last year, that’s the biggest reason.
“He expanded a little bit more than we’re accustomed to,” hitting coach Kevin Long told Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast. “I don’t know what his actual chase rate ended up being, but it was probably 35%. That’s high. If he gets that number down to 32, just drop it 3%, now he’s swinging at better pitches [and] he’s going to do more damage.”
But while Harper must revert to better plate discipline, the Phillies could also stand to better protect him in the batting order. Manager Rob Thomson is already scribbling possible lineups, crossing them out, and making new ones.
“I’ve got some ideas, but I haven’t talked to the players yet,” he said last month. “I don’t want to talk much more about that. But, yeah, I’ve thought long and hard about it.”
Two-thirds of the way through the offseason, it’s fair to wonder if Dombrowski has provided Thomson with better alternatives than he had last season. With five weeks until spring training, let’s look at the options:
Kyle Schwarber (right) batted in front of Bryce Harper for most of the 2025 season en route to finishing second in the NL MVP race.
Two weeks into last season, after Harper drew 10 walks in 12 games, Thomson moved Schwarber down in the order to bat third or fourth behind Harper.
It stayed that way for 45 games.
But Harper injured his wrist, and upon returning, Schwarber was firmly in the midst of a 56-homer season that resulted in a runner-up finish in the NL MVP race. Thomson left him in the No. 2 hole, one spot ahead of Harper.
“Schwarber is having, at that point, a career year, and I just didn’t want to mess with it,” Thomson said. “And the fact that Harper was protecting Schwarber, too.”
Fair enough. And then there was this: Although Schwarber would seem to represent Secret Service-level protection, Harper saw even a lower rate of strikes (41.7%) while batting behind him.
“It’s actually gotten worse,” Harper noted in May, “which is crazy.”
Long’s theory: When it comes to superstar hitters, lineup protection doesn’t matter much. In Harper’s case, the numbers support that idea. He has seen only 42.7% of pitches in the zone in seven seasons with the Phillies and 42.1% since he arrived in the majors.
Former Cubs manager Joe Maddon once walked Harper 13 times (four intentional) in 19 plate appearances over four games at Wrigley Field in 2016.
“I don’t care where you hit [Shohei] Ohtani, I think they’re going to pitch him the exact same way,” Long said. “They’re scared to death of him. I think Harper’s in that category. You can kind of put him wherever you want, but I do not think pitchers are going to give in to him. I just don’t. I think they’re going to try to be very careful.
“Can we maybe help him out and put somebody [else] behind him? That may be part of the equation as well. But in Bryce’s case, I think it’s more, if this is where it’s been the last six years since he’s been here, then the onus falls on me to make sure that he’s swinging at the right pitches and him to make sure that he’s not expanding. No matter what, he has to control his at-bats.”
The path of least resistance is to put Schwarber back behind Harper, an alignment that Thomson is considering. Thomson prefers to alternate left- and right-handed hitters through the order. But Schwarber’s success against lefties (.300 average in 2024; major-league-record 23 left-on-left homers in 2025) leaves Thomson comfortable with Harper and Schwarber back-to-back.
It might be easier to protect Schwarber. He tends to be more disciplined than Harper (21.5% out-of-the-zone swing rate last season; 22.8% for his career). He strikes out more often than Harper but is less likely to get himself out in front of the Phillies’ middle-of-the-order righty options, such as …
Adolis García is poised to be the Phillies’ right fielder after signing a one-year, $10 million contract.
In 2022, the Phillies threw $100 million at Nick Castellanos to supply sock from the right side. Among 179 hitters with at least 1,500 plate appearances in the last four seasons, he ranked 87th in slugging (.426) and 172nd in wins above replacement (1.3).
And now, he’s about to disappear.
Castellanos clashed with Thomson and lost his everyday job last season. All parties agree that a change of scenery is best. The Phillies will trade or release him, likely before spring training. Either way, they will pay all or most of his $20 million salary in the final year of his contract.
The Phillies already replaced Castellanos with free-agent right fielder Adolis García, a candidate to bat behind Harper if he hits like he did earlier in his career. From 2021 to ‘23, García slugged .472 with 97 homers, tied for sixth among all right-handed hitters.
But García was available because of the last two seasons. He slugged .397 and hit 44 homers, tied for 28th among all right-handed hitters. His swing-and-miss rate soared. And he got non-tendered by the Rangers.
Maybe García can provide at least a $10 million value at a position that will cost the Phillies roughly $30 million. If so, he’d be viable as right-handed protection for Harper in a batting order that would look something like this:
Bohm emerged in 2023 as the Phillies’ best protection for Harper. He excelled with runners in scoring position, often making teams pay for pitching around Harper, and drove in 97 runs in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and ‘24. He started the All-Star Game in 2024.
The Phillies balked at trade offers for Bohm last offseason, with rival teams suggesting they overvalued a player who hasn’t hit more than 20 homers in a season. Then he got off to a brutally slow start, prompting a move down in the order and the Harper/Schwarber arrangement. Bohm dealt with injuries through the middle of the season and finished as a league-average hitter (102 OPS-plus).
Is he primed to bounce back? Or is he who he is?
“I think he’s much closer to that type of [97-RBI] hitter than he was last year,” Dombrowski said. “All of a sudden you put him, that same guy, fourth or fifth in your lineup, and I think that’s a pretty good addition in itself.”
J.T. Realmuto (left) has batted behind Bryce Harper at times over the last several seasons.
Getting creative
After the All-Star break, nobody took more at-bats behind Harper than J.T. Realmuto, mostly a function of Bohm’s injuries and Castellanos’ reduced role. But at times over the years, the iron-man catcher reliably protected Harper.
Now, Realmuto and the Phillies are having a staring contest over variations of a multiyear contract, the free-agent catcher seeking a better combination of years and salary. There’s still mutual interest in an agreement, according to major league sources. It remains likelier than not that they will come together.
But what if they don’t?
The Phillies’ contingency plan could set in motion several dominoes. First, they would pivot to a catcher, in free agency or a trade, to pair with Rafael Marchán or Garrett Stubbs. The new catcher would be a downgrade from Realmuto but also cost less than his catcher-record $23.1 million annual salary.
The savings could then be applied to another area of the roster. Maybe an addition to the rotation — Ranger Suárez is still available — or the bullpen?
Or, if Bohm had to be packaged for a catcher, the Phillies could take a run at a free agent, such as Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette, right-handed hitters with power who could slot in behind Harper.
“I am about [lineup] protection, and I’ll argue that with anybody,” Maddon said. “Regardless of what the stats indicate, if the number of balls out of the zone are the same, I still would put somebody back there [behind him] because I still believe it causes pause with how you’re pitching.
“Maybe you say, ‘If we walk him, we walk him.’ There’s that attitude, also. But if there’s a guy behind him, I’m telling you, you’re not going to want to do it if there’s a real guy.”
The Eagles will host the Washington Commanders on Sunday evening as they wrap up the regular season and prepare for their Super Bowl defense.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game …
How to watch
The game will kick off on CBS from Lincoln Financial Field at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday. Kevin Harlan and Ross Tucker will call the game from the booth. Meanwhile, Penn State alumna Melanie Collins will report from the sideline.
If you’re on the move and want to listen to Merrill Reese and Mike Quick call the game, then you can tune into 94.1 WIP. And if you’re planning an outing with friends, here are some of the best places to watch an Eagles game in Philly.
The Eagles will be resting most of the starters heading into Sunday’s game. In terms of the injury report, several Eagles did not practice Friday, including Jalen Carter (hip), Nakobe Dean (hamstring), Marcus Epps (concussion), Dallas Goedert (knee), Lane Johnson (foot), and Jaelan Phillips (ankle). None of those players will play Sunday.
Jihaad Campbell was a full participant despite back and shoulder ailments.
Earlier in the week, the Eagles were 6.5-point favorites at FanDuel, and 7-point favorites at DraftKings. Once it was announced that the Eagles were planning on resting their starters, the odds changed. Now, the Eagles are heading into Sunday’s game as 3.5-point favorites at FanDuel and 4.5-point favorites at DraftKings.
The total is set at 39.5 and 38.5 points at FanDuel and DraftKings, respectively. For more betting props, check out our betting guide here.
Eagles playoff picture
The Eagles have already clinched the division with a Week 16 win over the Commanders. Now, with a win on Sunday and a Chicago Bears loss to the Detroit Lions, the Eagles will be the No. 2 seed in the NFC. However, if Philly loses or Chicago wins, the Eagles will enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed.
Storylines to watch
Can the Eagles get it done with most of their starters resting this week?
They’ll be competing against a banged up Washington Commanders team that will be relying on third-string quarterback Josh Johnson. With a win on Sunday, the Birds still have a chance to clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC if the Bears lose to the Lions.
The Eagles have managed to take care of business the last three weeks. Can they do it again to close out the regular season?
2: The Eagles could potentially claim the No. 2 seed with a win on Sunday.
Our Eagles vs. Commanders predictions
Here’s how our beat writers are predicting Sunday’s game:
Jeff Neiburg: Games like this are really hard to predict. Who plays? And for how long? But the Eagles have the advantage at quarterback, and they’re the team with more football to play beyond Week 18. I’ll take that combination in this one. Will there actually be a quarterback controversy? McKee will probably play well enough that the sports radio callers will engage in the absurdity. Happy New Year. Prediction:Eagles 27, Commanders 16
Olivia Reiner: The Commanders aren’t exactly operating at full strength. Center Tyler Biadasz went on injured reserve this week and left tackle Laremy Tunsil isn’t expected to play, either. While the Eagles will be motivated to win, the banged-up Commanders have more experience playing together this season. Plus, they may still have a bad taste in their mouths given the scrum that occurred late in the Week 16 game at Northwest Stadium. Prediction: Commanders 21, Eagles 17
Here’s how the national media is predicting Sunday’s game:
What we’re saying about the Eagles
Here’s a look at the latest from our columnists, starting with Mike Sielski, who broke down the Eagles’ passive offense.
Sielski: “If you’re complaining about the Eagles’ impotent offense and unimaginative play-calling both from Sunday’s second half and from several previous games this season, if you’re waiting for Sirianni and coordinator Kevin Patullo to have some eureka moment and suddenly start dazzling everyone with their play designs and a wide-open style of offense, you’re missing the key to understanding the 2025 Eagles.
“They want to play like this. They want to rely on their defense. They want to limit every and any available possibility that their offense and special teams might commit a turnover. It took some time and some trial and some error, but they’ve settled on an approach, and this is it.”
Marcus Hayes: “A win is a win is a win, but, really, is it too much to expect a greater degree of consistency and professionalism from the reigning Super Bowl champions? Is it ungrateful to believe a 10-5 team should look more like a 10-win team than five-loss team? Maybe. But, hey, we are Philadelphia.”
What the Commanders are saying about the Eagles
The Commanders have a banged up team heading into Sunday’s game as they expect to start Johnson at quarterback. Although the Birds plan on sitting most of their starters, including Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn is treating Sunday’s game like any other. When asked if the Birds’ decision to rest their starters changed anything, Quinn responded: “Not for us.”
“By no means are we at full strength, nor are most teams in the NFL during Week 18,” Quinn told reporters. “But, what I do love is the number of guys that are really hungry for this opportunity and chance to compete together. We had so many players miss time, they want to chance to express themselves and to prove it. So, when you miss games and stretches of games, you’re hungry for that competition and you’re hungry for that space. In our league, we practice way more than we play. So, they want to be able to go play and I love that about our guys. We had a hard battle with them two weeks ago and I expect another hard battle Sunday.”
Quarterback Josh Johnson: “It’s awesome,” Johnson told reporters. “We get to go into the lion’s den. I love it. I wouldn’t change it. It’s great to be able to have a game of this caliber versus this type of team to finish the season. So, I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited. Football is going to have to be played at the highest level. In order to beat this team, we got to play at a very high level and I’m looking forward to us going out there and playing at a high level.”
Center Nick Allegretti: “There’s a million ways to look at this game,” Allegretti told reporters. “Obviously, this is the last game of the season for us. But, everyone in this locker room in their life has dreamed of being in this situation. If you told me when I was 10 that I would get a chance to play in a Week 18 game, I think it would be the coolest thing in the world. So, understanding that. We get a chance to play against another NFL team. Go try to win that game. Who cares about what happened the week before or the week after.”
