Embiid will dominate against Wizards in first round series: Robin Lopez
After Len, the Wizards probably have their best overall center coming off the bench in Robin Lopez. Twin brother the Milwaukee Bucks’ Brook Lopez, Robin Lopez is known as the better defender of the two centers.
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Robin Lopez is a savvy veteran whose biggest strength his interior defense and rebounding. In his prime, he was a starter for several good teams, but now he’s a quality backup big man that most contenders would want on their bench. This season, he’s averaged 9.0 points and 3.6 rebounds in just 19.1 minutes per game. He’s also shooting 63.3 percent from the floor.
It’s not impossible that Lopez could give Embiid some problems in the paint with his big frame and fundamentally sound defense. Lopez measures in at 7-foot and 281 lbs, so his height, weight and defensive skills could in theory give Embiid problems.
However, where Embiid has the advantage is outside of the paint. Embiid’s a three-level scorer and can take Lopez outside of the paint where Lopez isn’t great at defending in space. That being written, Lopez would be the hardest matchup for Embiid in this series.