By Jawn Kruk | Side Jawn Sports | October 28, 2026
Being a Philly sports fan should come with blood pressure medication and a remote that can survive hitting the couch.
The Flyers put us through it Tuesday night. Now the Sixers and Union get their turn, with a bounce-back opportunity against a depleted Pacers squad and a massive playoff-clinching scenario down in Nashville.
Get your dinner situated. We’ve got some watching to do.
Flyers: Appreciate the comeback. Can we skip the three-goal hole next time?
The Flyers dropped a 4–3 overtime decision to Columbus last night, and somehow that score manages to be both encouraging and aggravating.
Columbus scored three times in a span of 2:46 during the first period. Just like that, the Flyers were down 3–0 and everybody watching was wondering what the hell happened.
But the boys fought back. Noah Cates got them on the board in the second. Trevor Zegras made it a one-goal game late in the third. Then Jamie Drysdale tied it with 11 seconds left, getting to the net as Tyson Foerster’s pass went in off his skate.
That’s the kind of late-game chaos that gets you off the couch. Unfortunately, Kent Johnson finished a two-on-none rush at 2:22 of overtime, and Columbus escaped with the extra point.
Listen, I’ll give them credit for battling. You don’t erase a three-goal deficit by feeling sorry for yourself. But we can’t keep treating the opening period like the warmup. The comeback showed what this team can do. Now give us that effort before the scoreboard looks like a plumbing emergency.
Sixers: Handle business against a short-handed Indiana squad
The Sixers visit the Pacers tonight at 7 p.m. ET, with coverage on ESPN and NBC Sports Philadelphia. Philly comes in 3–1 after Sunday’s 106–93 loss to Detroit.
The big news for the Sixers is that Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe are both clear of the injury report and on track to return. Meanwhile, Indiana is in absolute shambles after a brutal wave of injuries early in the season.
The Pacers will be without their franchise cornerstone, as Tyrese Haliburton has been ruled out with a hamstring strain. Indiana’s depth is being pushed to the absolute limit with Ivica Zubac (ankle), T.J. McConnell (hamstring), Johnny Furphy (ACL), and Ben Sheppard all sidelined as well.
The Sixers have some frontcourt absences of their own tonight—with Tacko Fall, Jabari Walker, and Dominick Barlow ruled out—but with Embiid back and Indiana completely depleted, this is a game Philly needs to control from the opening tip.
Union: A golden opportunity to punch a postseason ticket
Down in Nashville, the Union are playing for the highest stakes possible tonight: a guaranteed spot in the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs. A victory on the road officially secures their postseason ticket, though they can also clinch earlier depending on how other results around the league fall.
It is going to be a monumental test, however. The Union aren’t just playing a fringe team fighting for their lives—they are walking into the home of the newly crowned Supporters’ Shield winners. Nashville SC secured the regular-season championship over the weekend, and instead of taking their foot off the gas, they are actively chasing history tonight as they try to break the MLS all-time regular-season points record of 74.
If the Union want to secure that playoff bracket slot tonight, they will have to earn it against the best team in the league.
Go Sixers, Go Union, and Flyers, let’s not dive into a 3 hole to start the game next time out.
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