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7 Great Moments In Philly Sports That Happened In 2018

Like every other year, 2018 was filled with plenty of heartbreak for Philadelphia sports fans. But there was also triumph. And hope.

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Like every other year, 2018 was filled with plenty of heartbreak for Philadelphia sports fans. But there was also triumph. And hope.

Here's a review of seven great Philadelphia sports highlights from 2018.

7. Ben Simmons Wins Rookie of the Year

Ben Simmons flashed Lebron-like talent during an eye-popping rookie season, leading the Sixers to 52 wins. The star forward-turned-point guard finished the year averaging 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. Despite chatter that he could be challenged by Donovan Mitchell or Jayson Tatum, the final voting was not remotely close. Simmons earned 90 first place votes to Mitchell's 11. Tatum received zero first place votes and two for second. Simmons' emergence as a bona-fide star gave the Sixers another of the league's best players to go along with Joel Embiid.

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6. Aaron Nola Becomes An Ace

The first legitimate Phillies star of the post Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Cole Hamels era officially arrived in 2018 in the form of Aaron Nola. The crafty curveballer showed his full potential during a breakout season, earning an All Star nod and finishing third in the NL Cy Young voting. His final line of 17 wins, 224 strikeouts and a 2.37 ERA over 212 innings for the year puts him in the conversation for the best pitcher in baseball in 2019. He'll still only be 25 on Opening Day next spring.

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5. Phillies Battle For First Place Through The Summer

While the end result was dissapointing, the Phillies went from one of the worst teams in baseball in 2017 to a legitimate playoff contender in 2018. It was never more exciting than during a 16 inning marathon of a game in the heat of late July against the 2017 and eventual 2018 National League champion Dodgers. The Phillies bullpen tossed ten scoreless innings and eventually walked it off with a home run against Dodgers utility man Kike Hernandez.

The Phillies would finally fall out of the race with a late season collapse in September, but 2019 promises to bring competitive baseball back to south Philadelphia again.

4. 76ers Join The NBA's Elite

The process of being a bad team ended with a resounding boom in the spring of 2018, as the 76ers rode a lengthy winning streak en-route to earning the three seed in the East. It marked their first playoff apperance since 2012, and their highest seed ranking since Allen Iverson and their NBA Finals apperance in 2001.

They ultimately fell to another young team on the rise, the Boston Celtics, in the semifinals, launching what looks to be a lengthy rivalry between two up and coming dynasties.

As 2018 comes to a close, the Sixers remain within a few games of the Warriors, Raptors, and the best teams in the NBA.


3. The Genesis Of Gritty

It's hard to pick a moment, here. It certainly wasn't when he first "emerged" (from the confines beneath the Wells Fargo Center) and reared his fluffy head up to an unsuspecting populace. The initial reaction to Gritty was near universal dismay and annoyance. Why was this neccessary?

But after a few hours, Gritty became as authentically Philadelphian as cheesesteaks, Nick Foles, or Ben Franklin. It was all crystallized in a single tweet directed at the Pittsburgh Penguins account which now lives in infamy: "Sleep with one eye open tonight, bird."

2. Villanova Wins Second NCAA Championship In 3 Years

Just months after the Eagles paraded the Lombardi trophy down Broad Street, Villanova brought another parade back to a city that so desperately craves parades. It was their second national championship in three years.


1. Eagles Defeat Patriots For First-Ever Super Bowl Victory

Speaking of parades, nothing could have compared to the legions of fans and revelers that turned out to the streets for the Eagles victory parade last winter. The Eagles historic, upset victory over the perennially contending New England Patriots earned them a spot in Philadelphia lore for decades to come. Whatever may come in the future, the first Super Bowl victory the city ever saw will be remembered as something wholly unique.

Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images

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