Embiid says he won't let Steven Adams get under his skin
Joel Embiid is far from worried about facing Oklahoma City center Steven Adams. In January, Adams was named the NBA's second-dirtiest player (behind Matthew Dellavedova) in a poll of anonymous NBA coaches and assistants conducted by the Los Angeles Times. The 7-foot, 255-pounder has been accused of throwing elbows, providing hard fouls, pushing in the back, and using his body as a weapon. He has been known to frustrate opposing post players.
Joel Embiid is far from worried about facing Oklahoma City center Steven Adams.
In January, Adams was named the NBA's second-dirtiest player (behind Matthew Dellavedova) in a poll of anonymous NBA coaches and assistants conducted by the Los Angeles Times. The 7-foot, 255-pounder has been accused of throwing elbows, providing hard fouls, pushing in the back, and using his body as a weapon. He has been known to frustrate opposing post players.
"I frustrate other players, too," Embiid said Sunday after the 76ers' practice. "So we are going to go at each other.
"I've known him for the past two years. We had the same agent. So we are just going to go after each other."
Embiid isn't talking about turning Wednesday's season opener against the Thunder into a no-holds-barred affair at the Wells Fargo Center. Embiid just knows that Adams is a strong and physical post player. The 7-foot-2, 276-pounder is going to try to use his quickness against the fourth-year veteran.
But Adams is much more than a brute who gets under opponents' skin. Lately, he has been Oklahoma's most impressive player not named Russell Westbrook. An improved shooter, Adams scored 17 points on 8-for-12 shooting in OKC's final preseason matchup on Tuesday. The New Zealand native made his first five shots, three with his new, hybrid, one-handed floater.
Adams had career highs in scoring average (8.0 points) and shooting percentage (61.3) last season. He also averaged 6.7 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 25.2 minutes.
"He's one of the elite centers in this league because he's got a disposition of a killer," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. "He runs like a wing. He's a defensive rebounder. He runs like a wing, and he's what, 7-foot, 200-whatever pounds?
"And he does have a mentality that he does want to get under his skin. So there's a discipline that you have to show when you play somebody like that."
Embiid's game might test the former Pittsburgh standout's patience. The Sixers rookie showed signs that he can become one of the league's young stars in the preseason. He averaged 11.4 points and six rebounds in just 14.7 minutes during the team's seven exhibition games. He is expected to play 20 to 24 minutes against the Thunder.
Embiid had 18 points and nine rebounds in just 18 minutes, 13 seconds during Friday's preseason finale at Miami.
"I can't wait," Embiid said. "That's going to be my first official NBA game. I just went through the preseason. I thought I got better game by game. I'm looking to finally get that first game."
Jahlil Okafor is also eager to play. The reserve center had missed the first six preseason games with knee soreness. He finished with four points Friday in 7:23 of action.
Okafor didn't participate in the scrimmage portion of Sunday's practice. Brown said he looked OK in the on-court stuff he did before working out with Todd Wright, the team's head of strength and conditioning.
"He didn't look great today," Brown said. "I'll give him a B-minus."
Why didn't he look great?
"I'll give you guys the same answer," Brown said. "How do you move? North, South, how do you move?"
Okafor, however, is optimistic about playing on Wednesday. The former Duke standout expects his playing time to be limited, perhaps to more than eight minutes.
Brown expects small forward Robert Covington (sprained right ankle) to play. Covington sat out Sunday's practice.
The 6-9, 225-pounder could be asked to help defend Westbrook. The Thunder star is expected to have an easy time getting past Sixers point guards Sergio Rodriguez and T.J. McConnell.
"You are going to see multiple defenders on Russell Westbrook," Brown said.
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