Wembanyama's biggest headache will reportedly take floor in 76ers game

Joel Embiid was on a tear last season, and the Spurs got 70 points worth when they matched up with the 76ers in January. It was obvious that Victor Wembanyama would have his hands full with the Cameroonian big man since he was already having an MVP-caliber season, but what Embiid did was much worse than anyone expected. Wemby dropped 33 that night, but SA lost 133-123.

The worst part about it is that it didn't matter what San Antonio did. The Philly star refused to be stopped. He did most of his work in the paint, shooting 41 field goals while only attempting two 3-pointers. Nobody gave Wembanyama problems like Embiid did. He shot 21-23 from the free throw line, and the Silver and Black were at his mercy regardless of who the defender was.

Embiid isn't having a great season but he's still dangerous

He's nowhere close to producing at the same pace this year, but that doesn't mean San Antonio can sleep on him. Embiid is averaging 22 points and seven rebounds a game—those are modest numbers for him. But he's also scored over 30 points in three of the seven games he's played this season, including in his most recent action against the Charlotte Hornets.

The former Kansas Jayhawk has been severely compromised due to injury this season. He's struggled to get on the court, missing the first six games of the year due to a knee ailment. He was then suspended for two games because of an altercation with a local Philadelphia reporter. Since then, he's been in and out of the lineup, including the 76ers' Saturday game vs. Cleveland.

It's been an unpredictable season for Embiid, and uncertainty is not good in sports. Sure, in this case, there's a possibility that the skilled big man has a bad night. He's scored 13 or less three times this season, but the other side of that spectrum is an MVP winner, and if he's on, it completely changes how the Spurs must defend Philadelphia.

Tyrese Maxey is enough to deal with on his own. The crafty point guard from Dallas, Texas, dropped 52 points, leading to another 76ers win over San Antonio in their second meeting in April last season. It was bad enough having to watch Kelly Oubre Jr. go for 26 points, but being subjected to a 50-piece from their team's second-best player in Embiid's absence was a special kind of pain.

The 76ers' record (9-17) doesn't reflect how dangerous they are. The Spurs must be ready to bring their A-game if they want to continue elevating their record over the .500 line, chasing down playoff contenders ahead of them.