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Joel Embiid will face his toughest test yet: Marc Gasol

The game-ready process for Joel Embiid continues Tuesday when the 76ers rookie goes head-to-head with Memphis' Marc Gasol. Through three preseason games, Embiid has yet to face someone who combines Gasol's size, finesse, power, shooting, defensive presence and mobility. For the first time in his nascent NBA career, 7-foot-2, 276-pounder is facing someone who has a lot of qualities of the player the Sixers envision him to become.

The game-ready process for Joel Embiid continues Tuesday when the 76ers rookie goes head-to-head with Memphis' Marc Gasol.

Through three preseason games, Embiid has yet to face someone who combines Gasol's size, finesse, power, shooting, defensive presence and mobility. For the first time in his nascent NBA career, 7-foot-2, 276-pounder is facing someone who has a lot of qualities of the player the Sixers envision him to become.

"I can't wait to go against him," Embiid said of facing the 7-1, 265-pounder in the preseason game at the FedEx Forum.

Gasol is a two-time NBA all-star and was named the league's defensive player of the year in 2012-13. He has averaged 14.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 blocked shots over his eight NBA seasons.

Versatility isn't the only thing the Spanish player has in common with Embiid.

Gasol had surgery to repair a non-displaced Type II fracture of the navicular bone in his right foot in February. He sat out the remainder of the season and the Rio Olympics in August. Embiid is trying to overcome two navicular bone surgeries to his right foot in June 2014 and August 2015 that sidelined him for the first two seasons of his career.

Embiid is now a chiseled athlete. He, however, had gained much more than his draft-day weight of 250 pounds following his first surgery.

Gasol was heavy for much of his career before losing 50 pounds before the 2014-15 season.

At home in Spain during that offseason, Gasol cut refined sugar, processed foods and soda from his diet. He also cut back on red meat and carbohydrates and ate mostly vegetarian food.

"One of the coaches gave me the story about how he lost weight," Embiid said. "So that kind of helped me. So I've been following him for a while."

The two also have been friendly, but Tuesday will be a different type of setting.

Embiid said Monday that he believed he would be restricted to playing 15 minutes on the court. However, coach Brett Brown later said that the big man would once again play just 12 minutes - all in the first half. The goal is for Embiid to reach about 20-24 minutes by the Oct. 26 season opener.

But Tuesday's matchup will be by far his toughest test.

Embiid squared up against Boston's Al Horford and Amir Johnson in the preseason opener on Oct. 4. Then he started opposite Washington's Marcin Gortat (Thursday) and Cleveland's Chris "Birdman" Andersen (Saturday). Other than showing rust, Embiid held his own against those veterans.

"I think for him it will be very good to watch Marc, how he plays, especially the game that we are playing," said Sixers point Sergio Rodriguez, who has played with Gasol on the Spanish national team. "The coach has Joel involved in every play - not only scoring in the post, having the ball in the elbow and trying to set play."

Brown said he doubts that power forward Dario Saric will play Tuesday. The Sixers are looking to give the rookie the day off to rest. After a long season in the Turkish Basketball League, the 22-year-old competed for the Croatian national team. He spent this summer playing in Olympic qualifying games and then the Olympics.

Brandon Paul (right side contusion) is listed as probable for the game. Jahlil Okafor (right knee), Nerlens Noel (left groin strain), Nik Stauskas (left hamstring strain), Jerryd Bayless (wrist), and Ben Simmons (broken right foot) will remain sidelined.

Noel, Simmons, and Bayless did not practice Monday.

kpompey@phillynews.com

@PompeyOnSixers

www.philly.com/deepsixer