Sixers' Joel Embiid to Mavs' Nerlens Noel, "I'm going to cook your [butt]"

DALLAS – One had to know that 76ers center Joel Embiid would respond to Dallas Maverick center Nerlens Noel saying he was "going to come at" Embiid in Saturday night's game at American Airlines Center.

So Embiid had a message for his best friend when they met Saturday morning in between the team's shootarounds at the arena.

"I told him, 'I'm going to cook your a–,'" Embiid said. "We are going to see. It's going to be a fun battle."

The Sixers franchise player said that Noel laughed and responded, "We are going to see."

"But he knows what happened in those practices," said Embiid, referring to last season's Sixers practices before Noel was traded to Dallas in February.

The Sixers shipped him to Dallas in exchange for Justin Anderson, Andrew Bogut and two second-round picks.

On Thursday, Noel said he was geared up to face Embiid. He wasn't concerned that his 6-foot-11, 214-poind frame is shorter and lighter than Embiid's frame, which is 7-2 and closer to 290.

"Oh, yeah, I'm going to come at him," Noel said. "Come at him. I think we are going to have a great competition, great battle, just like we used to in practice."

Embiid thinks the Mavs will double-team him and play zone defense.

"But anytime I get a matchup to go one-on-one against him, I'm going to try to dunk on him," he said.

Noel said Saturday that he wasn't sure if he'll guard Embiid or not. But he didn't back down from the friendly banter.

"I think it'll be a good matchup," he said. "We'll be doing a little smack talking at that. But we're always good for that."

Embiid agreed.

"It's going to be good," he said. "That's my best friend."

The two are going to be familiar with each other's moves based on their past battles at practice. Following the game, they'll probably embrace.

But Embiid still reiterated the message he told Noel.

"I'm going to cook him tonight," he said.