PHILADELPHIA — Whenever the Philadelphia 76ers and the Minnesota Timberwolves match up, the focus is always on the battle between big men Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Embiid, the reigning league MVP, and Towns, one of the better shooting big men in the history of the game, always have exciting matchups.
When the Sixers fell to the Timberwolves on Nov. 22 on the road, they didn’t have Embiid. They had trouble with both Towns and Rudy Gobert down low in the paint. With Embiid back for this one, Towns and the Wolves know they’re going to be in for a challenge.
“Just his talent,” Towns said of Embiid at shootaround on Wednesday. “His talent, size, game plan, a great coaching staff, and offensive game plan that they have set up for him. He’s playing at a high level, and we have to come together to contain him.”
Per StatMuse, Embiid is averaging 26.4 points and 9.5 rebounds against Towns in his career. The two have faced each other 10 times; Embiid and the Sixers won seven of those matchups.
The tip from the Wells Fargo Center is set for 7 p.m. EST on Wednesday.
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