Philadelphia rookie Joel Embiid has vowed its "payback time" tonight against the Wolves for that TNT-televised hammering put on them at Target Center back in November.

Andrew Wiggins put up 35 points and 10 rebounds in that game against his former Kansas teammate.

Wiggins seemed to correct a reporter at Tuesday morning's shootaround in Philadelphia when asked about a guy named Joel.

"Jo-Jo?" Wiggins asked. "He's a monster. He has been a monster since Kansas. He's a good player, a big man who can do stuff that guards do. Very talented, very gifted."

Cleveland selected Wiggins first overall and Philadelphia chose Embiid third after Milwaukee took Jabari Parker second. But Embiid likely would have gone first if not for a foot injury and its recurrence that caused him to miss two seasons before he made his NBA debut this season.

Embiid had a 23-point, 6-rebound, 5-assist, 3-block, 2-steal game in Friday's 124-122 victory at Denver -- after the Wolves had just lost to the Nuggets there -- and is averaging 18.9 points and 7.3 rebounds while still playing fewer than 25 minutes a game as the Sixers continue to monitor his foot and health.

He may be bit biased, but teammate T.J. McConnell called Embiid's play at an All-Star level while the Sixers this time around still wait for No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons to make his NBA debut from injury. Before Embiid and Simmons, Sixers forward Noel Nerlens began his NBA career injured, too.

Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau says Embiid's "skill set is very, very impressive."

"Philly is very fortunate to have a player like that," Thibodeau said. "They have good young players. Unfortunately, they've gone through the growing pains of having their young players hurt.You're trying to make it through and they haven't gotten the experience that they normally would have. What Embiid is doing in short minutes is very impressive."

Embiid had a 10-point, 10-rebound game his first time out against the Wolves and his former KU teammate in that 110-86 loss at Target Center in November while Wiggins had that 35-10 night.

"I think that was part of my little hot streak," Wiggins said about his hot-shooting start to the season before opponents focused their defenses to stop him. "I was making shots. I was just doing it all. It all came to me."