Minnesota @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 30, 2019 ) Philadelphia 118, Minnesota 109

The Philadelphia 76ers began the season as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference and did nothing through the first week that would lower those lofty expectations. The 76ers will try to make it a 4-0 start when they host the fellow undefeated Minnesota Timberwolves.

Philadelphia center Joel Embiid sat out a 117-111 win at Detroit on Saturday to rest a sore ankle but bounced back in a big way with 36 points on 12-of-19 shooting and 13 rebounds in 33 minutes to spark the team to a 105-103 victory over Atlanta in a battle of the last two unbeaten teams in the East. "It doesn't matter," Embiid told reporters. "We still got 79 games. So, that's a long way. Three-and-0, you know, we are very fortunate to be in this position. But we still got a lot of work to do, me especially." Going up against Embiid on Wednesday will be Western Conference Player of the Week Karl-Anthony Towns, who averaged 32 points and 13.3 rebounds in leading the Timberwolves to wins in each of the first three contests. "This is a team that's unified," Towns told reporters. "We know that whenever something is going wrong, we all can depend on each other to get the score and to get the defense going."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (3-0): While Towns can be counted on for consistent production, Minnesota is still looking for the same from swingman Andrew Wiggins. The former No. 1 overall pick struggled early and was benched in a 116-109 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday but bounced back by scoring 16 of his 25 points in the final six minutes. "A lot can be made of relationships," Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders told reporters. "I know some people may roll their eyes at the relationship aspect of coaching things with players. But it goes both ways - the ability by taking Andrew out and then him being able to refocus with things, he didn't hang his head by any means."

ABOUT THE 76ERS (3-0): Embiid's big game on Monday helped the team overcome some shooting woes as it finished 11-of-41 from beyond the arc, including a 1-of-9 effort from small forward Tobias Harris. Center Al Horford scored in double figures in each of the first two games, including 23 points with Embiid sidelined but was limited to five points on 1-of-4 shooting on Monday. Horford, who signed with the team in free agency over the summer, found a way to make his mark on the game with nine rebounds four blocked shots and several key passes.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. 76ers SG Shake Milton (knee) left Monday's game and is day-to-day.

2. Timberwolves SF Robert Covington is 2-of-12 from 3-point range over the last two games.

3. Philadelphia took both meetings last season, including a 149-107 drubbing at home behind 31 points and 13 rebounds from Embiid.

PREDICTION: 76ers 109, Timberwolves 101