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  • 10 kid-friendly restaurants for Philly Marathon weekend

    10 kid-friendly restaurants for Philly Marathon weekend

    Sure, you could pick up hot dogs, falafel, or shawarma from a street vendor while watching the Philadelphia Marathon. But here are 10 options for a family-friendly sit-down experience.

    The gyro platter from Moustaki.

    Moustaki

    Menu style: Greek street-food café with gyros, souvlaki, salads, loukoumades, pita platters.

    Kid-friendly notes: Counter-service; quick and easy food; typically calm; just off the Parkway near the start/finish corrals; there’s also a Center City location with counter service at 120 S. 15th St.

    📍 161 N. 21st St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-964-9151

    Italian Family Pizza

    Menu style: Oversized New York/Philly-style slices, whole pies, garlic knots, stromboli, and a fabulous meatball sandwich on a house-baked roll.

    Kid-friendly notes: Pizza is an easy win; quick service; plenty of room inside the dining rooms; outside along the Parkway for stroller parking and snacking while watching runners.

    📍 1701 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, 📞 215-801-5198

    Pedestrians fill the 12th Street sidewalk outside Reading Terminal Market.

    Reading Terminal Market

    Menu style: 70-plus vendors selling something for everyone, even the picky eaters, sandwiches, pizza, barbecue, ice cream, doughnuts, dumplings.

    Kid-friendly notes: Perhaps the city’ most flexible spot for families: high chairs at several stalls, lots of grab-and-go, easy restrooms.

    📍 51 N. 12th St. (or 1136 Arch St.), Philadelphia, 📞 215-922-2317

    Chive and pork dumplings at Dim Sum Garden.

    Dim Sum Garden

    Menu style: Xiao long bao, dumplings, noodles, scallion pancakes, fried rice.

    Kid-friendly notes: Dumplings and noodles are easy for kids; drinks for adults; can be busy but the food arrives fast.

    📍 1024 Race St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-873-0258

    Bridget Foy’s

    Menu style: American comfort food, featuring burgers, chicken fingers, mac & cheese, salads, brunch dishes.

    Kid-friendly notes: One of the most reliably family-friendly restaurants in the city, with a kids’ menu; plenty of room for strollers; drinks for adults; outdoor seating when weather allows.

    📍 200 South St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-922-1813

    Marathon Grill

    Menu style: American comfort food, including chicken fingers, pancakes, burgers, mac & cheese, with vegetarian/gluten-free options.

    Kid-friendly notes: Open space, with indoor (and some outdoor) seating, a selection of adult drinks, and a “neighborhood joint” feel.

    📍 121 S. 16th St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-569-3278

    Bulletin Bar at Gather Food Hall.

    Gather Food Hall

    Menu style: Food hall with an interesting mix of Peruvian, Mexican, Southeast Asian, and Indian food, sandwiches, burgers, salads, coffee, pastries, and a Federal Donuts location.

    Kid-friendly notes: High-ceilinged, spacious, good bathrooms; fast service — extremely easy for families and large groups; steps from the Walnut Street bridge spectator zone and across from 30th Street Station. There’s a bar, too.

    📍 3025 Market St. (Bulletin Building at Drexel), Philadelphia

    In Riva

    Menu style: Neapolitan-style pizza, pastas, shareable antipasti, wood-fired dishes.

    Kid-friendly notes: Pizza and pasta are always kid wins; roomy layout; easy access relative to Center City; its East Falls location is right next to the Kelly/Ridge spectator stretch.

    📍 4116 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, 📞 215-438-4848

    The Couch Tomato Café (aka The Tomato Shack)

    Menu style: Pizzas, salads, sandwiches; upstairs bistro has more plated entrées.

    Kid-friendly notes: One of the most kid-friendly restaurants in Manayunk — booster seats and high chairs; pizza by the slice; lots of families on weekends; right on the marathon’s Manayunk out-and-back.

    📍 102 Rector St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-483-2233

    The Landing Kitchen is an all-day cafe at the riverside redevelopment of the Pencoyd Ironworks.

    The Landing Kitchen

    Menu style: Breakfast sandwiches, pastries, burgers, grain bowls, rotisserie chicken, smoothies.

    Kid-friendly notes: Huge outdoor space in Bala Cynwyd overlooking the river (across from Manayunk); very stroller-friendly; plenty of room for kids to move around; great for families who want a calmer scene than Main Street.

    📍 617 Righters Ferry Rd., Bala Cynwyd, 📞 484-434-8765

  • Children with autism face an added burden while SNAP benefits remain uncertain

    Children with autism face an added burden while SNAP benefits remain uncertain

    Earlier this week, the United States Congress voted to reopen the federal government. Yet, for more than 470,000 residents of Philadelphia, the timeline for restoring full SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits remains uncertain.

    Food insecurity is a tragic reality for roughly one in four children living in Philadelphia.

    As a pediatrician, I witness its effects firsthand. I regularly speak with parents who struggle not only to find healthy options but simply to secure enough food to feed their families. Sharing information about local food banks and pantries has become a routine part of these conversations.

    While the precariousness of SNAP benefits continues even as the government shutdown has ended, I am deeply concerned about the growing food insecurity facing children across the city. Among this population, I am particularly worried about children with autism, who are at even greater risk for food insecurity.

    Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition often accompanied by sensory overresponsiveness, which can lead to significant food aversion and extreme selectivity. Many children with autism tolerate only a limited range of foods — sometimes as few as five to 10 — because the textures, smells, or appearances of unfamiliar foods can be overwhelming.

    Many challenges

    Families raising children with both autism and intellectual disabilities are estimated to face twice the risk of food insecurity, driven, in part, by financial strain, childcare challenges, and reduced employment opportunities.

    A national pulse survey conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic found that, amid widespread disruptions to support systems, families of children with autism were nearly four times more likely to experience food insecurity than the general population.

    A sign alerts cusotmers that this store accepts food stamps, or SNAP benefits

    While SNAP benefits remain uncertain, I am directing more families toward the extraordinary efforts of food banks and community pantries across Philadelphia.

    These organizations, however, were designed to supplement food supplies — not to replace the sustained support that federal nutrition programs provide. Many, despite increased donations, are now facing unprecedented demand.

    While I am grateful for that important work, I face understandable pushback from some families when I direct them toward Philadelphia’s food pantries. I have had heartbreaking conversations with parents who are scared about their ability to meet their child’s specialized dietary needs.

    “They gave me food, but my kid won’t eat the noodles, bread, and beans they gave us. I’ll figure something out — I have to.”

    “I have to pick out specific things for my kid. He’s incredibly picky and won’t eat outside of his regular foods. You’re not finding Eggo waffles at a food bank.”

    A call to action

    These are not isolated anecdotes. They illustrate a broader challenge that deserves public attention: the intersection of food insecurity, disability, and systemic gaps in support.

    My intention is not only to express gratitude for the vital work of local food assistance organizations, but also to highlight the additional barriers facing families of children with autism.

    Philadelphia’s schools already struggle to meet the educational and behavioral needs of these children. Their families often experience additional economic burden, including lower household incomes and heightened employment instability due to caregiving responsibilities — factors that compound the effects of a prolonged SNAP interruption.

    The government’s reopening offers hope, but procedural hurdles remain before SNAP benefits will return to families in need. Meanwhile, my call to action is to avoid passivity and find a way to help.

    Food insecurity is not always visible.

    It hides in the shadows of stigma and sometimes shame. I urge those who can to support local food pantries with their time, resources, or donations. I encourage you to pick up the phone and call your elected representatives to demand swift restoration of SNAP benefits.

    Finally, if you happen to know a family raising a child with autism, consider reaching out with compassion and asking, “Is there a way I can help?”

    Sometimes, this small human action of solidarity may just keep a child from missing their next meal.

    Nishant Pandya is a general pediatrician in Philadelphia.

  • A vote to release the Epstein files should only be Congress’ first step toward ensuring justice for victims | Editorial

    A vote to release the Epstein files should only be Congress’ first step toward ensuring justice for victims | Editorial

    For months, Donald Trump has tried to insult, bully, and intimidate his way to keeping the House from voting on the release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

    On Sunday night, fearing that more than a handful of Republicans would break ranks and support the measure in a vote scheduled as soon as Tuesday, the president tried to keep the word humiliating from preceding a description of his defeat.

    “The House Oversight Committee can have whatever they are legally entitled to, I DON’T CARE,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

    The abrupt about-face clears the way for Republicans to join Democrats and steadfast GOP Reps. Thomas Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace in compelling the U.S. Department of Justice to release the files.

    Epstein’s emails are the end of America as they ruined it | Will Bunch

    This is an important win for the many alleged victims — around 200 women and underage girls — of the late disgraced financier, whose ties to the rich and powerful (including Trump and former President Bill Clinton) have sparked conspiracy theories about a mass cover-up and suspicion around Epstein’s 2019 suicide in a federal jail cell in Manhattan.

    Once the House clears the way, the Senate should quickly follow suit and send the bill to the president’s desk. Transparency, accountability, and justice for Epstein’s victims have been delayed long enough.

    Of course, even if Congress and Trump approve the measure, the fight will likely continue.

    The president’s capitulation may only be a strategic retreat. His persistent unwillingness to release the information — which he had promised to make public if elected — forecasts further obstruction.

    It is not difficult to wonder why.

    A protester holds up a photo of Donald Trump with financier Jeffrey Epstein at a rally in Augusta, Ga., in August.

    Despite Trump’s denials, he and Epstein were once good friends, part of an elite cadre that included financial titans and political leaders. There are videos and photos of them together, and Trump repeatedly flew on Epstein’s plane (known as “the Lolita Express”).

    Trump himself has faced sexual misconduct allegations by dozens of women and was found liable for sexual abuse in 2023. His appearance in published Epstein documents, which have so far included a salacious birthday card and email allegations that he “knew about the girls,” indicates there could be worse to come.

    Even as he told Republicans to vote to release the files, Trump nonsensically railed that this was all a “Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics.” He argued in the same breath that Republicans shouldn’t fall into the “Epstein trap,” which was “actually a curse on the Democrats, not us.”

    Trump makes a mockery of pardon power by blithely granting clemency to his allies | Editorial

    Only the full release of the files may reveal why the president has been so reluctant to act on a promise he made to his supporters. Why he has pressured his party so effectively that a vote on the House bill had to be forced upon Republican leadership. As this board has asked before: What are they hiding? Who are they protecting?

    Unfortunately, the American people cannot fully trust those in charge of the files. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel have shown that they value loyalty to Trump above all else, including going after the president’s political enemies regardless of any evidence.

    Congress must ensure that both fully discharge their duties and release all required information, regardless of who is embarrassed or implicated.

    Justice — and, at least for now, the president — demands it.

  • Letters to the Editor | Nov. 18, 2025

    Letters to the Editor | Nov. 18, 2025

    Get in the game

    I was saddened to read the article about the possibility of Lower Merion High School and Harriton High School merging their football programs because of declining enrollment. I remember when Lower Merion was the “powerhouse” when it came to football. My late sister, my brother, and I all attended Lower Merion (Classes of ’56, ’59, and ’61, respectively), and the greatest football rivalry on the Main Line was the last game of the season between Lower Merion and Radnor High School. The local newspapers covered it extensively. Our school had all kinds of placards and decorations up in the school, with the slogan “Beat Radnor,” during the week leading up to the big game. The night before the game, all the students and the coaches had a pre-victory celebration around a bonfire on the football field. The legendary John “Fritz” Brennan was the coach of Lower Merion, and what a successful career he had. His football team went undefeated for 32 straight games, between the years 1952 and 1957, and had only a few losses in the following years when I graduated. A statue of Brennan was placed near the entrance to Arnold Field, which, by the way, was named after Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold, a graduate of Lower Merion and the only officer to hold the rank of a five-star general in both the Army and Air Force. Today, very few students even attend the games.

    Paul Benedict, Broomall

    Insurance is a blessing

    No one is happy to see another person hurt. But if they have to deal with an injury, it is truly a blessing to have health insurance.

    So while I was sorry to hear Sen. John Fetterman was hospitalized after his recent fall, I thought it was great he had insurance that allowed him to stay in the hospital a few extra days while doctors adjusted his medication regimen. I also couldn’t shake the sense of irony here: It seems grossly unfair that this man, one of eight senators who caved on the Democrats’ demand to save healthcare subsidies in the budget resolution, is able to receive the best of hospital care through his own elite insurance — even after he surrendered in the fight for affordable healthcare for his fellow Americans.

    Mardys Leeper, Bryn Mawr

    Keep the same energy

    Recent reporting on the Cherry Hill School District’s internal memo about potential limits on student library books fit a pattern we’ve seen across the country. Few issues galvanize public outrage today like the prospect of “banned books,” and for good reason. Access to a wide, diverse range of literature is essential for a healthy democracy and for our children’s moral and intellectual development.

    But there is a quieter crisis hiding behind the headlines.

    While communities pack meetings and flood social media over which books might be restricted, there is comparatively little uproar over how few of our children can read fluently and confidently at all. Proficiency scores in reading are abysmal in many districts nationwide. That reality should trouble us at least as much as any debate over a handful of contested titles.

    Our students deserve both: school libraries that offer rich, inclusive collections and sustained investment in high-quality reading instruction, tutoring, and early intervention. If we’re going to show up in force over schoolbooks, we should also be showing up over reading outcomes.

    By all means, let’s protect our students’ right to read widely. But we should be just as passionate about ensuring they are able to read anything on the shelf in the first place.

    Brandon McNeice, head of school and CEO, Cornerstone Christian Academy, Philadelphia

    Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

  • Horoscopes: Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). Some state their rules like stop signs: “I won’t do X, I don’t want Y.” You take a more creative approach, offering ideas about what you want — scenarios filled with promise. You’re trying to create an experience for others.

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You have deep empathy and a compassionate perspective. You realize that when people overreact, it’s usually because they’ve been hurt before. This awareness is what keeps you kind, even when others are prickly.

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Efficiency can be overrated. People also need fluff, entertainment, breaks, silliness. Go in for a bit of inefficient fun today and it raises morale and speaks to sustainability. You’re a human doing human work.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your idea is strong and beneficial in principle. But for it to succeed, you also need resources, support and implementation. Keep working on it, talking about it, researching, experimenting — you’re on to something, but these are still early days.

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’re no evangelist for your viewpoint — you simply live it. Persuasion bores you; conviction moves you. Keep following that inner compass and expressing yourself through action, not argument.

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It would be unfair to demand more discipline of yourself than you have. Maybe it’s not about trying harder, but about setting yourself up better. Environmental design matters. Structure and setup are the most reliable allies of willpower.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). People who make themselves useful can vanish beneath their own usefulness. You see what labor is happening everywhere around you, even the labor that’s invisible. Your awareness restores those invisible laborers by valuing being over doing.

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Sometimes the socializing isn’t optional and you just have to show up where you’re expected. The mix of people may be strange today, too, but it can still be harmonious. It may help to invite more people. Groups will create their own order.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Too little stress causes boredom and low motivation. Too much stress causes overwhelm and paralysis. Just enough stress gives you that focused, energized feeling from which your best work can arise. That’s what you’ll have today.

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your imagination is vast, but not every vision needs to be polished. Let rough edges speak their own truth — that’s high art. Create freely, finish fast, and let the imperfect masterpiece breathe its magic into the world.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Frustration has shaped more of your brilliance than ease ever did. If you hadn’t been dissatisfied, you wouldn’t have reached higher, sought help, or developed your signature style. Today’s frustration is merely a sign of your continued evolution.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). If you get it right the first time, go again. The second and third tries prove it wasn’t luck. By the fourth and fifth, skill deepens and insight dawns. Repetition will teach you lessons no single success ever could.

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Nov. 18). Welcome to your Year of Graceful Command. You may be a reluctant leader, but people need your steady presence, your ability to see their strengths and needs, and your plans for the progress and well-being of the group. More highlights: You’ll be recognized and awarded for many talents, including diplomacy. You’ll have profitable collaborations, and a wardrobe that feels like armor and art. Cancer and Libra adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 1, 10, 4, 39 and 20.

  • Dear Abby | Emotional toll grows steeper for aging mother

    DEAR ABBY: I have a 54-year-old profoundly disabled, non-verbal child who is in a group home. I have been advocating for her since birth, when we learned she had suffered severe brain damage. The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck for so long that the damage was irreparable. My first husband couldn’t handle it and left us.

    Luckily, a number of years later, I met and married a wonderful man. He treated my daughter as if she were his own. Every weekend, we would take her out for breakfast. Many times, we’d have to leave the restaurant because of her behavior. He was my rock and my support and helped with her until his death.

    I still visit her, but I find it increasingly difficult, knowing that one day I won’t be there for her. Physically, I’m no longer able to take her out by myself. I also can’t ask friends to help for fear they could get hurt. I feel guilty, but also want to have some peace in my life before I leave this Earth. After visits with my daughter, I am sad for days. How can I get over this guilt I feel and find peace?

    — EMOTIONAL MAMA IN NEW JERSEY

    DEAR MAMA: You have no reason to feel guilty. Your daughter’s disability is not your fault. Neither is the fact that you are no longer physically able to lift and transport her. You are doing the best you can by letting her know you love her. Babies need touch and the reassurance that they are loved. You are already doing that and have for many years. If you haven’t already done so, ensure your daughter will get proper care if anything happens to you. Accomplish this by putting your wishes in writing with the help of your attorney.

    ** ** **

    DEAR ABBY: My long-ago ex-husband “Hal” is friendly with me and my husband. He lives two doors down from us. He can drive, but whenever we visit family, he always asks to hitch a ride. We don’t mind if it’s dark out, because he has trouble with night vision, but we don’t want to be his chauffeur and be regarded as a “throuple” anymore. Worse, he always undercuts me when I’m talking — “that’s not true,” “it wasn’t that day,” “it didn’t happen that way,” etc. I think Hal gets jealous when I receive any attention.

    We’ve been kind to him because his son (and mine) died a year ago. The last straw was when I was talking about a time my son asked my opinion. Hal cut in to say, “I don’t think our son would follow your advice.” How do we remain friends with Hal but stop this without blowing our stacks?

    — CLOSE TO LOSING IT

    DEAR CLOSE: The next time Hal asks to hitch a ride with you to visit family, tell him that while you overlooked his undercutting in the past, when he said he didn’t think your son would follow your advice, he went too far. Then tell him that in the future he will be arranging his own transportation because he won’t be riding with you.

  • Sixers takeaways: Tyrese Maxey carries the team, Paul George is rusty, and more from win vs. Clippers

    Sixers takeaways: Tyrese Maxey carries the team, Paul George is rusty, and more from win vs. Clippers

    Paul George’s debut was OK, yet better than expected.

    The 76ers are going to have to live with the Andre Drummond factor for the time being. The center is a rebounding machine but struggles on defense.

    Tyrese Maxey must continue to log 40-plus minutes and carry the Sixers.

    And the team will cherish all victories, even the controversial ones.

    Those four things stood out in their 110-108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Maxey carrying the load

    Sixers coach Nick Nurse acknowledged before Monday’s game that the minutes for Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are piling up, and they are expected to carry the scoring load.

    Nurse thinks things may settle down for the duo when George gets up to speed, as they do when Joel Embiid is playing.

    The coach actually spoke to both of them on Sunday. He asked them four questions: Are you OK? Are you playing too many minutes? You sure? Are you looking for some help?

    Maxey and Edgecombe responded “yes” to the first question and “no” to the other three.

    “I said, ‘Because we don’t know when it’s going to come,” Nurse said. “’Get ready to go out there and do whatever is necessary.’

    “And they’re both on board. I said, ‘Whenever these guys come back to help, we’re going to welcome them with open arms. But until that point, let’s stay focused on doing what needs to be done.”

    On Monday, the Sixers (8-5) needed Maxey to take over while playing the entire second half.

    That’s when he scored 27 of his game-high 39 points. It was the fifth time this season that the sixth-year guard scored at least 35 points. He also finished with three rebounds, six assists, one steal, and four turnovers while logging a game-high 40 minutes, 57 seconds.

    Maxey scored 13 points in the third quarter before tallying 14 in the final quarter. But he must do a better job handling the ball in clutch situations. All four of his turnovers came after the intermission.

    Sixers mailbag: Paul George and Joel Embiid’s trade value, need for backup point guard, and more

    There’s no denying that he’s having a special season, though.

    Maxey’s 39 points were the most by an NBA player on Monday night.

    He ranks second in the league in scoring at 32.5 points per game, fourth in made three-pointers (50), and first in minutes (40.4).

    What is Nurse looking at in the big picture with the kind of season Maxey is putting together?

    “I don’t know if I think about that at this particular time,” Nurse said. “I think that you know what I talked about before … that was pretty evident tonight. You’ve got to go, and the minutes are going to be 40. And you are going to have to carry a bunch of the load. And you are going to have to figure it out.”

    Sixers forward Paul George (center) scored nine points in his season debut.

    PG’s debut

    George hadn’t played in a game since March 4. Yet he’s been a full participant at practice since Oct. 19. As a result, it was hard to predict how the 35-year-old would perform against the Clippers (4-10).

    He moved well. He got his shots. He bulked up. And, as expected, he was rusty.

    George finished with nine points on 2-for-9 shooting along with seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 21:06 of playing time. He also made 4 of 7 free throws.

    “It felt great to finally play basketball again,” he said. “It’s been like eight months since I played. So it was a long journey, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of hiccups. But it felt good to finally get out there. I felt good. Just rusty, but I felt good.”

    Sixers need to be ‘mentally tougher’ against physical play while improving third quarters

    He played in only 41 games last season — his first as a Sixer — while hampered by various injuries. George was ruled out for the remainder of that season on March 17, the day he received injections in the left adductor muscle in his groin and left knee.

    He was expected to return in time for training camp. However, the nine-time All-Star had arthroscopic left knee surgery in July, which caused him to miss additional time.

    On Monday, George scored a three-pointer on his first shot attempt 34 seconds into the game. On the next possession, the 6-foot-8, 220-pounder was fouled while attempting a three. He made two of three foul shots to give the Sixers a 5-0 advantage.

    Paul George played 21 minutes in his season debut for the Sixers.

    George missed his subsequent five attempts before turning the ball over and later scoring on a three-foot driving floater.

    He missed three shot attempts after intermission. But George stepped up his game in other areas in the second half with three rebounds and a block.

    Sixers mailbag: Paul George and Joel Embiid’s trade value, need for backup point guard, and more

    Defensively, he looked comfortable and appeared to have lateral quickness.

    “Yeah, it was definitely a trusting — it was definitely a trust factor,“ George said. ”When I first went out there to see what all I could do, and right away, ‘I’m ready for this.’ You know, ‘I can move, I can react, I can play physical, I can beat the guy to a spot. I can rebound.’ So that was, I think, a huge checklist for me personally, that I was able to slide my feet, stay in front of guys, and just fly around. Be reactive.”

    It’s too early to know if he can be the dominant wing of the past. However, his basketball IQ, defense, rebounding, and leadership could help the Sixers once he gets in basketball shape.

    Drummond’s play

    Drummond is the Sixers’ lone healthy center.

    Embiid missed his fourth consecutive game on Monday. It will be the third game he has missed due to right knee injury management. The 2023 MVP also sat out the Nov. 8 home loss to the Detroit Pistons to rest his surgically repaired left knee.

    Sixers center Andre Drummond had 14 points and 18 rebounds against the Clippers.

    And reserve center Adem Bona missed the first of at least three games with a sprained right ankle.

    The 6-11, 279-pound Drummond held his own against Clippers center Ivica Zubac with 14 points and a game-high 18 rebounds for his fourth consecutive double-double and fifth of the season.

    Zubac, who had 14 points and 13 rebounds, was outplayed by Drummond in the fourth quarter. That’s when the Sixer tallied seven points and five rebounds.

    Drummond even made a pair of clutch foul shots to give the Sixers a 110-106 cushion with 1:08 remaining. Then he grabbed his 18th rebound on the ensuing possession.

    Controversial ending

    The Sixers will tell you a win is a win. And they probably couldn’t care less if people speak negatively about the controversial ones.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey and Trendon Watford celebrate their 110-108 victory over the Clippers on Monday.

    And that’s what they escaped with against the Clippers.

    With the Clippers down two points, video footage showed James Harden being fouled on a three-point attempt by Quentin Grimes with 6.3 seconds remaining. Crew chief Curtis Blair was asked after the game why the foul wasn’t called on the play.

    “During live play, it was deemed that Grimes legally contested Harden’s three-point shot,” Blair said.

    Based on the wording “during live play,” one has to believe there’s a great chance we’ll see a different answer Tuesday on the L2M report.

    But the Sixers still celebrated this victory. Maxey and Trendon Watford even sprinted down the court after time expired on the final possession.

  • Person stabbed on SEPTA subway platform in Center City

    Person stabbed on SEPTA subway platform in Center City

    A person was hospitalized in stable condition after being stabbed Monday night on a subway platform in Center City on SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line, an agency spokesperson said.

    The stabbing occurred shortly before 10 p.m. at the 5th Street/Independence Hall Station and the victim was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, said SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch.

    No arrests were reported and no further information about the victim or what happened was immediately available.

  • Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers rally for 110-108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers

    Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers rally for 110-108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers

    Tyrese Maxey scored 39 points, Paul George had nine points and seven rebounds in his season debut, and the 76ers rallied for a 110-108 victory over the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.

    Quentin Grimes added 19 points and Andre Drummond had 14 points and 18 rebounds while filling in for Joel Embiid.

    James Harden scored 28 points for the Clippers, who have lost eight of nine. Harden became the 11th player to eclipse 28,000 career points with a first-quarter layup.

    Derrick Jones Jr. sat out after injuring his knee in Sunday’s 121-118 loss at Boston. The Clippers also were without Kawhi Leonard (ankle/foot sprain) for the seventh straight game.

    Embiid (right knee injury management) sat out for the third straight game and eighth of 13 this season.

    Los Angeles controlled the first 3½ quarters and led 91-81 with 8 minutes, 44 seconds left on Ivica Zubac’s 10-footer. But the Sixers used a 14-3 run over the next 2:49, capped by Maxey’s layup, to go in front 95-94. It was close from that point.

    Drummond made two free throws to put the 76ers ahead 110-106 with 1:08 left. Kobe Sanders made a pair of free throws with 13.8 seconds left to pull the Clippers within two before officials whistled Kris Dunn for a foul on Maxey. But that was overturned to a steal by Dunn after a challenge by the Clippers, giving L.A. a chance to tie or win.

    Harden misfired on two three-point attempts in the final seconds.

    In addition to Embiid, the Sixers were missing Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee sprain) and Adem Bona (right ankle sprain).

    George sat out the first 12 games while recovering from offseason left knee surgery. The nine-time All-Star played 21 minutes.

    Up next

    The Sixers will host the Toronto Raptors at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Wednesday (7 p.m., NBCSP).

  • The USMNT’s players appreciate the team’s tough schedule leading up to the World Cup

    The USMNT’s players appreciate the team’s tough schedule leading up to the World Cup

    TAMPA, Fla. — Once the U.S. men’s soccer team knew it wouldn’t have to qualify for next year’s World Cup as a cohost, it faced a different challenge.

    Having no qualifiers to play meant the program would have to fill its calendar with exhibition games, which the world’s game calls “friendlies” even when they aren’t polite. (Look no further than the brawl that ended Saturday’s U.S.-Paraguay match in Chester.)

    Since it started to matter in June, U.S. Soccer could have picked several lesser opponents to try to rack up wins for public perception. But it knew those would have been empty calories, and many fans would have agreed.

    So manager Mauricio Pochettino and his staff chose the harder path: aim high, suffer along the way, and come out the other side sharpened.

    U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino at Monday’s practice in Tampa.

    There was certainly suffering for a while: a 2-1 loss to Turkey and a 4-0 blowout to Switzerland in June, and a 2-0 loss to South Korea in September.

    Pochettino’s words after the Switzerland game were as true then as they are now, with the U.S. on a four-game unbeaten run against Japan, Ecuador, Australia, and Paraguay.

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    “We knew that we wanted to play with two important teams in Europe like Turkey and Switzerland,” he said. “When we decided to play them, it’s because we wanted the players to feel the high level. And when you take the risk, this accident can happen.”

    Had the Americans not turned results in their favor, as they have over the last four games, the ride would still be bumpy. Perhaps some critics would claim to prefer the easier path.

    But the good results have further justified a correct decision.

    Gio Reyna (left) celebrating after scoring the opening goal for the U.S. against Paraguay at Subaru Park on Saturday.

    Now the hill grows steeper. After facing Turkey and Switzerland in June, South Korea and Japan in September, Ecuador and Australia last month, and Paraguay last week, the U.S. closes its year by facing South American superpower Uruguay at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Raymond James Stadium on Tuesday (7 p.m., TNT, Universo).

    Next March’s games, the last before the World Cup is set, are expected to be against Portugal and Belgium at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium — a fittingly glamorous stage in U.S. Soccer’s new hometown.

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    ‘A real, raw passion’

    All 10 of those teams were or will be in the top 40 of FIFA’s global rankings at the time of the matchup, with nine in the top 25 and five in the top 20. (The U.S. sits 16th, and has for all but one ranking period over the last year.)

    And since the opponents had their own World Cup qualifiers to play, U.S. Soccer earns more credit for getting them over here in the rare times they were available.

    Alex Freeman (left) defending Japan’s Kaoru Mitoma during their matchup in September.

    “That’s ultimately what you want,” former Union centerback Mark McKenzie said. “I think any competitor wants to play against the best of the best, and as you go into a World Cup where we don’t have the luxury of a qualification period, you want to play against opponents who ultimately you have the potential to see in the World Cup. So I think when you play against those teams that are especially high-ranked, it puts you up to bat, and to figure out where you stand against those kinds of teams.”

    The competitive juices especially come out when the U.S. plays South American opponents. Though big-name European nations draw more fan interest, South American teams deliver an unmatched mix of talent and passion.

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    “There’s a real, raw passion that comes along with that,” McKenzie said. “There’s a sense of real pride that South American teams play with. You hear it with the national anthems — the stadium is rocking because their supporters are all singing and screaming their anthem.”

    McKenzie tries to bring the same mentality to playing for his country, and to his teammates.

    “We have that mentality of, it’s not every day you get the chance to represent your crest, [or] every day you get to be one of 20-some-odd players to step on that pitch,” he said. “So, yeah, we’re going for the same mentality. We approach each game [as] it’s not a friendly match, but this is a preparation for what’s to come.”

    Gio Reyna (second from left) and Tim Ream (right) are among the U.S. players shown stretching at Monday’s practice.

    The U.S. has a long history of big games against South American foes. Its first guest appearance in a Copa América, South America’s continental championship, was in 1993 — a year before facing Colombia and Brazil in the first men’s World Cup hosted here.

    Kasey Keller’s 10-save masterclass against Brazil in 1998 still lives in the history books, as does a 1999 upset of an Argentina squad that Pochettino played for. More recently, the U.S. hosted two Copa Américas, in 2016 and last year, and in them faced six of the continent’s 10 teams.

    That Uruguay landed the knockout blow in last year’s group stage makes this meeting even more of a benchmark.

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    Among the players who have gotten the message is outside back Alex Freeman, one of the younger members of this group but with a fast-rising profile.

    “I feel like it’s a good test for us,” he said. “I feel like, especially in our home country, we need these tests. We need to show what we’re capable of and what we can do, and I feel like just knowing that we’re able to compete against these teams, it’s just a good step for us, and for the U.S. in general for soccer.

    Long before he was the Union’s sporting director from 2015-18, Earnie Stewart (left) scored a historic goal to help the U.S. men upset Colombia at the 1994 World Cup.

    The USMNT’s pre-World Cup friendly opponents

    Here’s a look at the teams the U.S. has played in friendlies since the start of June, and will play leading up to the World Cup.

    After the World Cup roster is announced in late May or early June, the tournament squad will play two friendlies against teams and in cities that are still to be announced.

    The FIFA rankings below are as of the date of the matchup, or as of this week for games that haven’t happened yet.

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