Playoffs?!?

Yes, the Flyers are now back in the playoff hunt after a 10-game losing streak seemed to doom the season. The Fly Guys won 7 of their last 8 games including a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings last night.

Sean Couturier scored his 16th goal of the season, a new career-high for him, while Claude Giroux tallied three assists.

Dale Weise struck first for Philly:

Then later Robert Hagg scored his first goal:

Now the 15-12-7 Flyers are just two points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The team visits the Sabres on Friday night at 7pm.

The Roundup:

The Sixers are reeling and have just one win this season without Joel Embiid. They may be without that needed big man a bit longer, according to Adrian Wojnarowski:

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, sidelined with a sore back, could miss two more games this week but is expected to return for the Christmas Day meeting with New York, league sources told ESPN.

Without Embiid, the Sixers fell to the King’s on Tuesday night. Robert Covington, who once was red hot, is now freezing cold. Kevin Kinkead’s observation:

We knew that Robert Covington was a streaky shooter long before he signed his big-money contract extension.

That said, I think he trends further to the extremes when hot or cold, either shooting at a ridiculous clip when “on” or going ice cold when he’s “off.” And when I say ice cold, I’m talking levels frigidity that would make the Game of Thrones zombie king blush.

Covington finished 5-19 last night and just 2-13 from three-point range, with one of those triples coming towards the very end of the game.

The team, which is now 10th in the East, hosts the 20-8 Toronto Raptors tonight at 7pm.

Off the court, Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas kissed and made up awkwardly on NBA TV:

LaVar Ball is starting his own basketball league, as an alternative to college.

The Phillies officially introduced Carlos Santana yesterday and embraced Gabe Kapler.

Meanwhile, Odubel Herrera is getting his holiday on:

The Eagles offense kept rolling without Carson Wentz last week, but the defense had another lackluster performance. How concerned should you be about that defense? Kevin Kinkead answers:

My takeaway is a glass half-full kind of thing. I really think they were a bit ragged from playing three road games in a row. The routine was different with the week in Los Angeles. Some guys are dinged up. I think they can adjust and finish strong, but that McLeod quote is deeply concerning and puts the onus on Jim Schwartz to figure it out, or else Drew Brees might be dinking and dunking all day long at Lincoln Financial Field in January.

I’m not scared, and you shouldn’t be either, but the defense needs to make a statement on Christmas night and show everybody that the last three weeks were one continuous aberration.

Unless Jim Schwartz figures out the defense and it doesn’t become the reason the Eagles lose in the playoffs, he may not be one of the coaches pursued in the offseason:

Meanwhile Howie Roseman is scheming up for the off-season:

The injury bug finally bit the “Super Bowl contender” LA Rams a bit:

Another team the Eagles may see in the playoffs, the Atlanta Falcons, led by Matt Ryan, need to make sure they line up and get set or Ryan gets angry:

The latest Crossing Broadast is out as the guys discuss Carlos Santana, Eagles Pro Bowl snubs, Ronald Darby, great late 90s bands, and hot takes on the Sixers’ awful loss to the Kings.

Dan Le Batard, clearly butt hurt over the trade of Giancarlo Stanton, goes after MLB commissioner Rob Manfred:

In NASCAR news…yes NASCAR. Richard Childress shot at three masked men who allegedly attempted to break into his house.

97.5 The Fanatic Mike Missanelli’s show will be simulcast on NBC Sports Philadelphia:

NBC Sports Philadelphia and the Beasley Media Group announced a partnership which will bring The Fanatic’s popular afternoon show hosted by Mike Missanelli to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s air beginning in 2018.  The announcement was made by NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Brian Monihan and Beasley Media Group Philadelphia’s Vice President and Market Manager Joe Bell.

The “Mike Missanelli Show” will air NBC Sports Philadelphia weekdays from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. “Philly Sports Talk” will air at its regularly scheduled time at 5 p.m.

Khloe Kardashian confirmed she and Tristan Thompson are having a baby.

Everyone on the Wofford basketball team got laid last night:

In other news…

Apple is purposely slowing down your old iPhone.

Congress officially passes the tax reform bill.

Do you have a password that made the list of the 25 worst from this year? If so, you may want to change it when you get to work this morning.