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Embiid, Okafor to start as Sixers use twin towers

Embiid slid over to power forward when the Sixers used twin towers in this season's two meetings with the Orlando Magic.  He lined up at that position during Tuesday's practice and Wednesday's shootaround.

"I've been shooting pretty well. So I guess that's one of the reasons," Embiid said of why he's playing power forward as opposed to the 6-11, 265-pound Okafor.

The Sixers employ twin towers lineups only against bruising front lines, hoping for the best matchup. They don't want to pair them up against teams with mobile power forwards capable of shooting three-pointers. The Raptors have a 7-foot center in Jonas Valanciunas and 6-10 power forward in Pascal Siakam.

"I think no disrespect to Siakam, but he's not as good as a shooter," Embiid said. "That sets me kind of free to like play all over the place, helping off [Raptors shooting guard DeMar] DeRozan, Valanciunas. So it just kind of gives me free range to just play."

Follow and contact 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter and on Instagram at PompeyOnSixers.