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In a game of reunions, the Philadelphia 76ers look forward to hosting the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday for the first time this season.
Fortunately for the Sixers, they’ll get a reinforcement in Kyle Lowry.
While Lowry’s official debut with the team took place last Thursday, the veteran guard got the night off on the second game of a back-to-back. The reason for his absence was due to return to competition conditioning. However, Lowry also suffered a facial laceration, which required stitches.
The slight setback didn’t prevent Lowry from continuing to play in last week’s game against the New York Knicks. While he left the matchup early in the first half, Lowry ended up returning after halftime to finish out his 25-minute shift.
After getting a night off, Lowry is set to make his return against the Bucks as he’s deemed available for the matchup. Whether he’ll make his first start or return to a reserve role remains unclear at this time.
Although one game is a small sample size, Lowry proved he still has a lot of gas left in the tank. He shot 5-7 from the field, knocking down one of his two three-point shots for the Sixers to score 11 points on Thursday. He also contributed to four rebounds and five assists in the loss to the Knicks.
Lowry’s fit playing alongside Tyrese Maxey was ideal for the first matchup. Considering Nick Nurse noted that Lowry could be a potential starting option down the stretch, the door is left open for Lowry to take over the shooting guard spot in the starting five if moving De’Anthony Melton to the bench is an option the Sixers are considering taking.
For the time being, the 76ers are in an experimental phase as they work on getting healthier.
The Sixers and the Bucks are set to tip off at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday.
More must-reads:
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Kyrie Irving reveals why Nets superteam didn't work out
In a recent Twitch stream, Kyrie Irving opened up about the Brooklyn Nets’ failed superteam — and while it’s been over two years since it all fell apart, his comments shed new light on what really went wrong between himself, Kevin Durant and James Harden. One of the biggest reveals came when Irving recalled Harden’s trade request in early 2022. “It shocked a lot of people. It shocked me,” he said. “I was talking to James [Harden] one day like, ‘We about to go win these championships,’ and the next day he asked for a trade.” At the time, the move did feel sudden to fans, but behind the scenes, the tension was mounting. Brooklyn’s trio played just 16 games together in total, going 13–3 when they shared the floor — an incredible record that only made their lack of availability more frustrating. In those 16 games, the trio had a +13.3 net rating — elite production, but never had the chance to grow. When Harden forced his way to Philadelphia in February 2022, the Nets were in a tailspin. He had averaged 22.5 points and 10.2 assists in 44 games with the Nets that season, but his body language had shifted, and his on-court effort dwindled. Irving’s absence was also a factor. Because of New York’s COVID-19 mandate, he couldn’t play in home games. He only appeared in 29 games during the 2021-22 season, and by the time the playoffs arrived, the Nets were bounced by the Boston Celtics. It wasn’t just the mandate — Irving admitted in the stream that things had gotten so bad, he asked the Nets to release him. The organization refused, but it confirmed just how strained the relationship had become. He also touched on the hiring of then-head coach Steve Nash, saying he “committed blindly” to Brooklyn and didn’t do enough due diligence. Nash, who had no prior head-coaching experience, was reportedly Durant’s preferred choice. But the Nets struggled with identity under his leadership, especially on defense — they ranked 22nd in defensive rating in 2020-21 and 20th the following year, never developing the kind of edge needed for deep playoff runs. What’s striking about Irving’s comments is how much of it aligns with what we saw on the court. The Nets were always more theory than reality — a team built for greatness that never played enough games together to become great. From February 2021 to February 2022, Brooklyn used 43 different starting lineups. That’s not a recipe for chemistry, no matter how talented the roster is. Still, Irving was quick to say he holds no grudges. He praised Durant as “the best teammate I’ve ever played with,” and clarified he has no issues with Nash or Harden. The Nets’ superteam era will always be one of the NBA’s greatest what-ifs. And now, even Irving is starting to make peace with that.
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani ties franchise record with HR vs. Twins
MLB's midseason break was kind to Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter and starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani. On Wednesday, the three-time MVP tied a Dodgers franchise record with a home run in his fifth consecutive game, taking Minnesota Twins right-handed starting pitcher Chris Paddack 441 feet to centerfield on an 0-2 79 mph curveball in the bottom of the first inning. Ohtani entered the All-Star break with 32 home runs but had just two in his 12 previous games before beginning his current streak. He's appeared in 101 of L.A.'s 103 games, putting him on pace for 159 games this season. If Ohtani continues at his home run trajectory, he'll set a personal record for single-season home runs, breaking the record he established last season, his first with the Dodgers. Per ESPN Bet, Ohtani (-1800) is an overwhelming favorite to be named NL MVP for the second consecutive season. With every home run hit, his odds of receiving a fourth overall MVP award likely increase. Also helping Ohtani's case is his return to the mound after not pitching a season ago while rehabbing from 2023 surgery. The Dodgers have slowly eased him back, with Ohtani throwing 12 innings in six starts, allowing nine hits and two earned runs with 13 strikeouts. Per Baseball Savant, he ranks in the top six percent in average fastball velocity (97.8 mph), a promising sign as he continues his progression. While the Dodgers keep him on a pitch count, Ohtani didn't need much warming up at the plate following the in-season break to find his swing. Some might argue he's already in postseason form.
Tua Tagovailoa addresses relationship with Tyreek Hill after controversial comments
Shortly after Miami Dolphins players reported for training camp on Tuesday, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill suggested he wants to be "better as a leader" after he controversially subbed himself out of Miami's regular-season finale this past January and then told reporters he was "out." While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa addressed the Hill-sized elephant in the room. "I think there’s a lot more vulnerability with Tyreek," Tagovailoa explained, as shared by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "He’s conversating a lot more with the guys, not just about football, but about things off the field, being vulnerable about some of the things people know about his personal life and things of that nature. I think that’s the first step toward him building true relationships and a real connection with a lot of the guys in there." Following Hill's "out" comment, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier revealed that the 31-year-old speedster never requested a trade. While publicly apologizing to his teammates during a Super Bowl week interview, Hill directly said that Tagovailoa is his "guy." Hill also insisted at the time that he loves Tagovailoa. "Everybody makes mistakes," Tagovailoa added about Hill. "It’s just, some people, they’re in the spotlight, and their deals get pushed out more than some others. So you’ve just got to cut him some grace. That’s our teammate. We love him, but as a person, I think if you get to know him, you’ll love him too." Hill and Tagovailoa likely will need to be on the same page if they want to prevent the Dolphins from going through a franchise reset next offseason. At least head coach Mike McDaniel is reportedly on the hot seat this summer, while Tagovailoa's status beyond the upcoming campaign is up in the air after he suffered a third reported concussion since the fall of 2022 last season. "You guys aren’t the only people that heard that," Tagovailoa said about Hill's "out" statement. "...So when you say something like that, you don’t just come back from that with, 'Hey, my bad.' You’ve got to work that relationship up. You’ve got to build everything up again. It’s still a work in progress, not just for me but for everybody. But like I said, he’s working on himself, he’s working on the things he says he wants to get better with and do better on. So that’s the first step to me, so I commend him for doing that." As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the 2024 Dolphins at -275 betting odds to miss the playoffs. Those who believe the relationship between Tagovailoa and Hill is on shaky ground following Wednesday's developments may want to take a flier on such a wager before the odds change later this year.
Eagles' Jalen Hurts explains why he hasn't been spotted wearing Super Bowl ring
Pictures from the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl LIX championship ring ceremony that took place on July 18 showed that quarterback and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Jalen Hurts elected not to wear his new piece of jewelry during the event. While speaking with reporters at training camp on Wednesday, Hurts was asked why he wasn't spotted wearing his ring during the celebration. "I’ve moved on to the new year," Hurts responded, as shared by Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal. "It’s as simple as that." For a piece published earlier on Wednesday morning, Brooks Kubena of The Athletic noted how Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni "avoids the word 'repeat'" while discussing the club's goals for the 2025 season. According to Kubena, Sirianni instead is repeating a mantra from a portion of a book that stresses "how marathon runners 'run the mile they’re in.'" It appears Hurts and others on the Eagles roster have embraced Sirianni's messages. "It was honestly surreal to see it in person," Hurts said about receiving the first Super Bowl ring of his career. "Almost, not nostalgic, but to see something that you’ve earned and have a moment to appreciate it one last time. It's kind of overdue in terms of when it was supposed to be initially. But it was a moment, and now that moment is behind us." It almost feels as if it were a lifetime ago when reports emerged last summer suggesting that Sirianni was on the hot seat, in part because his relationship with Hurts was allegedly "fractured" after the 2023 Eagles suffered a brutal late-season collapse. Sirianni deservedly received a contract extension this past spring, and it appears he's on the same page as his players early into training camp. "I came there only for the ring," Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown added about the ceremony. "I didn’t eat. I didn’t do anything. The whole ceremony was great. It was good to see some of our old teammates and talk to them, but that ring was speechless. I really enjoyed it. Trying to find a place, or something, to do with it." As of Wednesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Eagles third among the betting favorites at +700 odds to win Super Bowl LX. One wonders how Sirianni and Hurts would feel about the "repeat" word if the Eagles are once again the last team standing in February 2026.
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