Shake Milton: 76ers 'Like That Matchup' of Embiid vs. Simmons
Ben Simmons is back in South Philly for the third time since getting traded away from the Philadelphia 76ers. While Simmons finally cleared the hurdle of facing his former team on the road for the first time back in November, he still has yet to face his former All-Star teammate Joel Embiid.
Wednesday could be the night it finally happens. At the moment, Embiid is on the Sixers’ injury report, listed as questionable due to foot soreness. While he didn’t participate in practice on Tuesday, Embiid did put in some work on the court after the session, signaling his recent setback isn’t too serious.
If Embiid gets the green light to play on Wednesday, it will be the first time Embiid and Simmons share the court as opponents. Considering Ben Simmons is a standout defender, who embraces the challenge of guard players one through five, there’s a possibility that he might get matched up against Embiid at times on Wednesday night if the big man plays.
In the event that happens, Sixers guard Shake Milton is confident that his teammate can win that battle.
“We like that matchup,” Milton said after practice on Tuesday. “We’re gonna throw him the ball and let him go to work for sure.”
While Milton’s confident that Embiid’s offense can get the best of Simmons’ defense, the young veteran clarified that’s really the case in any game against any opponent.
“I mean, we like Jo against anybody, honestly,” Milton continued. “So it really doesn’t matter. Obviously, there’s a lot of hype around it, the matchup and the teams and everything that’s going on, but for us, it’s just gonna be about getting another win, honestly.”
Milton is one of a handful of Sixers that was around before the Simmons drama last season and witnessed the end of the Simmons-Embiid duo after the trade last year. While there might be some bad blood in Philly due to the way everything transpired, Brooklyn is just another matchup in the eyes of Milton.
“Obviously, for the city, it means a little more,” Milton said regarding the matchup. “I know they’re gonna come with a lot of energy. So it’s gonna be exciting, and it’s gonna be a fun game. So I’m looking forward to it.”
The Sixers and the Nets are scheduled to tip off at 7:30 PM. At the moment, Embiid remains a game-time decision.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
