Sixers schedule — vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, Nov. 19
There’s history here between Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns, but that beef has been squashed and it’s not really a reason to bookmark the game. This suggestion is purely matchup-based, because the Wolves became an infinitely more interesting and compelling team over the summer with the acquisition of Rudy Gobert.
Minnesota will now start two All-Star centers in tandem. We have seen ‘Twin Tower’ experiments in the recent past (Embiid and Horford in Philly, DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis in New Orleans), but nothing quite like this. Towns is the best shooting big man in NBA history, while Gobert is a truly generational defender — a three-time DPOY and arguably the best rim protector of the last decade.
For the Sixers and Embiid, that means there will be a lot of length to deal with in the post. For Minnesota, it means a unique opportunity to matchup hunt with KAT as the “power forward” on offense. Anthony Edwards is on the precipice of his superstar leap and D’Angelo Russell has a tendency to light up Philadelphia. This is just a fun and interesting chess match, even if Minnesota doesn’t feel like a premium ticket on the surface. I think this will be a fun game.
It’s Embiid battling the best defensive center in basketball. It’s Thybulle and Tucker checking the most explosive under-22 wing scorer in basketball. It’s Towns and Embiid, two 7-footers who continually push the boundaries of offensive versatility. It’s Harden and Russell, a slightly lopsided but still fun matchup of dynamic pick-and-roll guards. There’s a lot to like here. Make sure you tune in.