The Philadelphia 76ers are set to continue their preseason schedule with a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Wells Fargo Arena in Iowa on Friday night. According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Paul George is expected to make his debut with the Sixers, but star center Joel Embiid will not be playing.
Pompey reported that Embiid is not traveling with the team as they prepare for preseason games. The Sixers opened their preseason with a dominant win over the New Zealand Breakers and now face a tougher challenge against the Timberwolves, one of the stronger teams in the Western Conference. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 P.M. EST in Des Moines.
While both George and Embiid sat out the first preseason game, George expressed excitement about joining his new squad. “The character here, everyone’s on the same page. It’s a real brotherhood,” George said at media day. “This is going to be a fun year.”
George has already made a strong impression during training camp, particularly with his defense, and he is eager to build chemistry with Tyrese Maxey on the court. However, he has yet to play alongside Embiid, though their friendship from past All-Star games should help smooth the transition.
The Timberwolves, who were without Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle in their first preseason game, will face the Sixers before Philadelphia takes on the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Saturday night.
