Joel Embiid is out with a facial injury but could return for game three of the first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat. Photo: AFP
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https://scmp.com/sport/china/article/2142191/shenzhen-and-shanghai-get-glimpse-process-76ers-sign-nba-china-games China
Shenzhen and Shanghai get a glimpse of The Process as 76ers sign up for NBA China Games
Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons set to play two games against the Dallas Mavericks with Philadelphia in October
Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid dunks against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Photo: AP
China will get a first-hand look at “the Process” next season when the Philadelphia 76ers play two preseason games there against the Dallas Mavericks.
The teams will meet on October 5 in Shanghai, then October 8 in Shenzhen.
“It will be an honour to be the first 76ers team to play in front of the amazing fan base in China in October,” Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid said in a statement released by the team.
Dikembe Mutombo, an NBA “global ambassador,” was on hand on Tuesday in Shenzhen to make the announcement.
Philadelphia and Dallas will be the 16th and 17th teams to compete in the “NBA China Games” since the league first began playing in China in 2004.
“Getting a chance to play all over the world has always been a dream of mine and I’m excited to play in China in October,” 76ers guard/forward Ben Simmons said in a statement.
“I know the fans there are passionate about basketball and I’m really looking forward to the trip to Shanghai and Shenzhen.”
Embiid and Simmons are two big pieces of the “Process”, the years-long rebuilding strategy that finally has the 76ers in the playoffs this year for the first time since 2012.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, failed to qualify for the postseason for the second year in a row after a run of 15 playoff appearances in 16 years.
Miami Heat's Justise Winslow (right) hits the court after drawing a foul on Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons. Photo: AP
Mavericks veteran forward Dirk Nowitzki said in a statement, “When I played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I witnessed China’s enthusiasm for basketball first-hand. It will be a fantastic experience for our franchise to play in China for the first time.
“We’re also excited about the possibility of reconnecting with two great Chinese players who played for the Mavericks, Wang Zhizhi and Yi Jianlian.”