By Tom Long, Sports Talk Philly staff 

The Philadelphia 76ers, after entering December with a 12-9 record, have been very bad - a record of 3-10 since.

We all have different opinions about why they're struggling - whether it be injuries, Embiid not playing consistently, Robert Covington practically disappearing on offense, or a variety of other reasons.

Now, while I believe all of these are valid, I will tell you why Head Coach Brett Brown should, if he is not already, be under the microscope and on the hot seat in Philly.

(Left to right: Tony Liberto, Jeff Quake, Doc Emrick, Tyler Barczak, Andrew Mossbrooks, and Matt Bevenour)

(Photo by Jeff Quake/Sports Talk Philly)

By Jeff Quake, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 

Visiting a pro hockey team's press box is always a thrill, and that was especially it was especially so for me on Dec. 20, when I again spent the day and evening at the Wells Fargo Center when the Philadelphia Flyers faced off against the Detroit Red Wings.

By Josh Liddick, Sports Talk Philly editor

The Sixers haven't had the best luck this season with getting leads and then losing them late. In fact, it seems like it's been more of a trend than they would like it to be at this point in the season.

Leading by as many as 18 points mid-way through the third quarter, the Sixers allowed the Portland Trail Blazers to crawl back into the game, falling 114-110 at the Moda Center on Thursday night.

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

In their first action since the Christmas break, the Flyers looked like they were still enjoying the comforts of time off.

Another slow start put the Flyers behind early, but the stretch of lazy play continued into the final period before another late push that came too late in a 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers.

Let's get to it in our Postgame Review.

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

Once again, it was too little too late for the Flyers.

The Flyers managed two third-period goals to make a game of things again, but their comeback effort came far too late in a 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday night to open a back-to-back in Florida.

Gabe Kapler and the Phillies have an important 2018 ahead of them. (Tim Kelly/SportsTalkPhilly)

By Tim Kelly, Sports Talk Philly editor

It's safe to say that when baseball historians look back at the 2010s for the Philadelphia Phillies, they won't do so in awe. Sure, the Phillies appeared in the NLCS in 2010 and won a franchise-record 102 games in 2011, but since 2011, the club has put together six consecutive non-winning seasons. And 2018 may very well be the seventh. Still, 2018 may be looked at as a defining season for the Phillies franchise. It will help to define how the club looks not only for the rest of this decade, but well into the roaring 2020s. 

Here are some Phillies storylines to watch for in 2018:

Was Chase Utley ever considered a candidate to be Gabe Kapler's bench coach? (Kevin Durso/SportsTalkPhilly)

By Tim Kelly, Sports Talk Philly editor

By all accounts, Philadelphia Phillies icon Chase Utley wants to continue his career in 2018. But after Gabe Kapler raved about Utley - who he had crossed paths with in Los Angeles - in his introductory press conference, a report surfaced that Kapler and Phillies brass "considered" him as a bench coach. One beat writer now says that wasn't true. 

According to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, Utley wasn't considered a candidate to be Kapler's bench coach, a role that eventually went to Rob Thomson: 

By: Jesse Larch, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Sixers gave fans a Christmas gift this past Monday when they ended their five-game losing streak with a victory over the New York Knicks. 

The game against the Knicks was the second of a five-game road trip. The Sixers will begin a string of games against Western Conference teams tonight when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers - who have lost six consecutive games at home.

(Kate Frese/SB Nation)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

After taking a break for the holidays, the Flyers are back on the ice to continue their four-game road trip in Florida.

The Flyers will see teams at both ends of the standings in this back-to-back, starting with the Florida Panthers, who while being on the lower end of the standings aren't too far behind the Flyers. In the meantime, the Flyers look to get back into the winning column on a regular basis after dropping three of their last four games.

Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.

(Kate Frese/SB Nation)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Flyers are back on the ice on Thursday night for another set of back-to-back games on a Florida road trip.

Every game for the Flyers is important from here on out if they want to be the playoff team they say they are. But putting the two remaining games in 2017 aside, the Flyers most crucial stretch in defining their season will be the games played in January.