The day is Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, and Philadelphia sports fans have never been happier. The Eagles have a Super Bowl title, the Flyers are third in the Metropolitan Division and currently hold a spot in the NHL playoff standings, and the Sixers haven’t lost a game at home in 2018. Oh yeah, and T.J. McConnell became the first Sixer ever to score a triple-double off the bench during the home win against the New York Knicks last Monday night.
Let that sink in for a second.
The buzz around the city since the Eagles’ Super Bowl win has been beyond electric. Turn on the radio to 97.5 The Fanatic at any time during the day, and odds are you’ll be treated to the sweet sounds of grown men crying tears of joy while recalling tales of how they spent Super Bowl Sunday. Jason Kelce’s now-famous Parade Day speech is still being shared all over social media, and it looks like Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney may have some competition if the #kelceformayor hashtag ever comes to fruition. But the best part is that there’s still plenty to be excited about for the euphoric Philly sports fan.
Since Super Bowl Sunday, the Philadelphia Flyers have won four games and lost one in a shootout against the New Jersey Devils to earn a total of 13 points for the standings.
Prior to the 5-4 overtime loss against the Devils, the Flyers outscored their opponents 15-8 during a four-game win streak that saw captain Claude Giroux notch six points and earn NHL Player of the Week honors.
The recent standout performance by Giroux only adds to what has already been an All-Star caliber season for the Frenchman. Giroux is currently tied with Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the eighth-best in scoring, with 66 points (19 goals and 47 assists).
Right-winger Jakub Voracek follows closely behind Giroux on the top 10 scoring list, as he currently sits in the 10th spot with 65 points (11 goals and 54 assists).
Voracek also currently leads the league in assists with 54. The presence of Giroux and Voracek in the first two lines has proved to be immensely valuable for the Flyers, as the two are frequently paired with offensive weapons like Wayne Simmonds, Sean Couturier and the rising rookie Nolan Patrick.
However, if the Flyers want to be a dangerous team in the playoffs, they are going to have to rely on their depth on defense in order to challenge teams like Pittsburgh and Washington.
Players like Brandon Manning and Andrew MacDonald will really need to step up and prove their worth, due to the recent injury to goalkeeper Brian Elliott.
As for the other team that calls Wells Fargo Center home, the Philadelphia 76ers have entered the NBA All-Star Break riding a five-game winning streak at 30-25 and are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference.
The 76ers’ Joel Embiid will represent the City of Brotherly Love in the starting five of Steph Curry’s All-Star roster. Ben Simmons and Dario Saric will also play alongside Embiid in the Rising Stars Challenge.
The Sixers have really hit their stride heading into the break, and the team looks poised to make a legitimate run for the playoffs. During the five-game home streak, Sixers fans were treated to two defensively dominating performances against the Pelicans and Clippers, and also saw backup point guard T.J. McConnell score a triple-double against the Knicks–only to be outdone by Ben Simmons’ triple-double against the Heat on Wednesday night.
In the game against the Knicks, McConnell posted 10 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists and six steals as he once again led his team to victory over the Knicks. McConnell, who once had to pay a $10 cover charge at Xfinity Live because the bouncer didn’t believe he actually played for the 76ers, is now a fan favorite among a Philly fan base that loves an underdog story like his.
“I think some of us have come a long way with the city and the fans. From my rookie year winning 10 games and a lot of us, deservedly so, getting booed,” McConnell said during the post game interview with NBC’s Molly Sullivan.
“When you win 10 games, you should get booed. And just chipping away last year and what we’re doing this year, the city has been supportive through everything, and we love them for it,” he continued.
Even though McConnell’s big night against the Knicks was a feel good story for the ages, Wednesday’s 24-point comeback victory against the Miami Heat proves that this team is heading in the right direction.
Despite being down by as many as 24 points in the third quarter, the Sixers came together defensively, and started scoring from beyond the arc, thanks to the new signing Marco Belinelli. Belinelli ended up with 17 points and was 3-5 on threes in his Philadelphia debut.
All-Star snub Ben Simmons also scored his sixth triple-double of the season during the contest, netting 18 points, with 12 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals. Considering the fact that the Sixers starting point guard scored a triple-double two nights after the backup point guard did the same thing, fans should rest assured because the process is indeed working.
With both the Flyers and the Sixers currently on pace to earn playoff spots in the spring, it’s safe to say that the hype for the Philly sports scene won’t be dying down anytime soon. Who knows, maybe we’ll only have to wait a couple more months before we see another parade down Broad Street.
Andrew Heller is a fifth-year student majoring in English. ✉ AH8204286@wcupa.edu.