Philadelphia 76ers: 5 things to watch for Christmas Day vs. Milwaukee Bucks

3. Embiid vs. Lopez

There is a select number of large, burly centers who possess the strength and savvy needed to adequately defend Joel Embiid on the block. Brook Lopez is a member of that exclusive club. He has had success against Embiid in the past.

Similar to Marc Gasol and Al Horford, Lopez is adept at stifling Embiid’s aggressive post-ups without fouling. He does an excellent job maintaining his verticality — matching Embiid’s physical blows without extending his arms too far.

In addition to Lopez, the Bucks will double Embiid early and often. If Giannis is assigned to Simmons, that affords him plenty of extra space to roam. He will hover around the paint and complement Lopez as a towering rim-protector on the weak side. The Sixers are well equipped to handle Giannis, but the Bucks might have an even better solution to Embiid (who, in case you weren’t aware, is not Giannis).

How Embiid manages the claustrophobic conditions he’s bound to be operating in will go a long way in determining the Sixers’ offensive success. Philadelphia still hasn’t found all the right buttons on offense, and the Bucks are the NBA’s top defense. Expect to see plenty of zone, for good measure.