Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid set to renew bitter feud as division rivals

The stage is set for a renewed rivalry between two of the NBA's most talented young stars as Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves travel to Philadelphia to face Joel Embiid and the 76ers on Wednesday night.

The two big men have a history of animosity that dates back to their days in the NBA draft, when Towns was selected first overall by the Timberwolves and Embiid went third to the Sixers.

Since then, the two players have traded barbs on social media and in interviews, and they've had some heated on-court confrontations.

Wednesday night's game will be the first time the two players have faced each other since the 2021 playoffs, when the Sixers eliminated the Timberwolves in six games.

Embiid had a dominant series against Towns, averaging 28.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game, while Towns struggled to find his rhythm, averaging just 18.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

The Timberwolves have made some significant changes to their roster since then, adding Rudy Gobert in a trade with the Utah Jazz, and they'll be looking to get revenge against the Sixers on Wednesday night.

The Sixers, meanwhile, are coming off a disappointing playoff exit of their own, losing to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Embiid is still one of the best players in the league, but he'll need to get more help from his teammates if the Sixers want to make a deep playoff run this season.

Wednesday night's game is sure to be a physical and intense affair, and it could have a major impact on the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.