Welcome to the NBA.
Joel Embiid hammered that tough message home to Chicago rookie Wendell Carter Jr. on Thursday with one basket after another. Embiid was a perfect 5 for 5 and scored 14 points in the first quarter alone en route to a 30-point double-double in the Sixers' 127-108 win over the Bulls in their home opener.
"Just be aggressive," Embiid said of his plan. "I thought against Boston I was really passive at times, especially when I was in the post. I was in a different mindset. I wanted to dominate, but at the same time, I wanted to try to use my strength and not my head. Tonight, I just decided to pick my spots and figure out what I'm good at and when to use my strength and when to use my finesse."
So what does Embiid get for his masterful effort? A chance to take on yet another rookie. Well, at times.
The Magic start former Sixer Nik Vucevic at center. However, rookie and Embiid protege, Mo Bamba, will man the middle for stretches of the Saturday night's game.
You can expect plenty of banging on the block and trash talk between the two good friends. Just look back at what transpired when they faced off in the preseason (see story).
Philadelphia 76ers
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• As for mixing things up on the block, the Sixers would be well served to continue that trend.
They connected on 27 of 30 free throws in their victory over the Bulls. That came two days after the Sixers made 14 of 23 at the charity stripe.
While the makes are important, the Sixers are also focused on the attempts. They finished 10th in the league in free throws attempted last season with 22.8 a night and want to improve on that mark.
"Live at the line" as Embiid likes to say.
• In case you haven't heard by now, Markelle Fultz did some things on the basketball court the last time out.
The second-year guard put up a team-high 15 shots against the Bulls. Fultz made five, including one weight-lifted-off-his-shoulders three.
"I'm never afraid to take shots," Fultz said. "I worked hard this summer. Tonight, I didn't make a lot of shots, but I am going to keep shooting. If I see an open shot, then I'm going to shoot it."
Fultz should have plenty of opportunities to get his offense going against the Magic. Orlando has allowed a combined 68 points to opposing starting backcourts in just two games (Miami's Goran Dragic and Rodney McGruder and Charlotte's Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb).
Below are the essentials for Saturday night's matchup.
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Wells Fargo Center
Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia (Pregame Live starts at 7 p.m.)
Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com
Roster
Jerryd Bayless, G, 6-3/210, No. 0
Jonah Bolden, F, 6-10, 220, No. 43
Wilson Chandler, F, 6-9/225, No. 22
Robert Covington, F, 6-9/225, No. 33
Joel Embiid, C, 7-0/260, No. 21
Markelle Fultz, G, 6-4/200, No. 20
* Demetrius Jackson, G, 6-1/200, No. 11
Amir Johnson, F/C, 6-9/240, No. 5
Furkan Korkmaz, G/F, 6-7/185, No. 30
T.J. McConnell, G, 6-2/190, No. 12
* Shake Milton, G, 6-6/205, No. 18
Mike Muscala, F/C, 6-11/240, No. 31
JJ Redick, G 6-4/195, No. 17 13
Dario Saric, F, 6-10/250, No. 9
Landry Shamet, G, 6-5/190, No. 23
Ben Simmons, G/F, 6-10/230, No. 25
Zhaire Smith, G, 6-4/200, No. 8
* Two-way player
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