Why the Chicago Bulls can upset the Philadelphia 76ers opening night

Key no. 4: Carter must man up against Embiid

The most interesting matchup of the night is without a doubt going to be Joel Embiid against the no. 7 overall pick in this year’s draft. Carter’s “Welcome to the NBA” game might happen right off the bat, because handling Embiid is going to be a problem.

Now, that’s not to say Carter isn’t up for the challenge. I’m certain he is.

Carter is crafty. He is not the fastest or most athletic. He does a lot of things very well, though. He’s fundamentally-sound. Hey, this kind of thing worked for a guy named Tim Duncan for quite a few years — I think Carter is in good shape.

The funny thing about this matchup is that Embiid is essentially what Bulls fans are hoping Carter turns into. Embiid is also very fundamentally-sound in his game. He plays both ends of the court very well. For all the talk about Carter’s ability to block shots, you’re looking at a guy in Embiid who averaged just under two per game last season.

Carter has shown a knack for knocking down three-point shots here and there, which gives his game a totally different aspect. He can play around the perimeter — and so can Embiid. Last season, Embiid shot just over 30 percent from long distance.

The similarities are pretty intriguing.

If the Bulls are going to win this game, Carter doesn’t necessarily have to shut his man down, but at least temper what Embiid does overall. If Carter has a sound defensive game and can contribute double-digit points and anywhere from 7-to-12 rebounds, I bet he does enough to even out this matchup.

All of these keys are big ones. Will they all happen? It’s not likely. But, if three out of the four come to fruition for the most part, I think the Bulls can pull this out. It’s going to be a tall task, but nonetheless should be a fun game to open the season.