There\u2019s nothing quite like a big-man rivalry in the NBA.<\/p>\n
While star guard matchups can be intriguing, when a pair of elite seven-footers square off, it\u2019s hard not to get excited \u2014 and typically, they\u2019ll have to guard one another. From Bill Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain to modern examples like Nikola Jokic vs. Rudy Gobert, an elite size matchup brings extra juice to a game.<\/p>\n
In the late 2010s and early 2020s, one of the NBA\u2019s premier big-man rivalries \u2014 both on and off the court \u2014 was between Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns. With both ascending at the same time as dominant weapons despite differing play styles, the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a> and then-Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a> centers quickly made their disdain for each other obvious.<\/p>\n Fast forward to 2026, and while Embiid and Towns appear to have put their beef in the past, there\u2019s potential for it to be reignited as they match up in the playoffs for the first time.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a full look at the history between Embiid and Towns, from social media jabs to their 2019 on-court fight.<\/p>\n NBA PLAYOFFS HQ:\u00a0Live NBA scores<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NBA playoff schedule<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NBA playoff bracket<\/a><\/p>\n Joel Embiid vs. Karl-Anthony Towns beef history<\/p>\n Embiid, after being drafted in 2014, played his first full NBA season in 2016-17, which was Towns’ second season in the league. Since then, they’ve remained two of the biggest stars in the Association \u2014 and as young players, they quickly developed a head-to-head rivalry.<\/p>\n 2016-17: First matchup, Embiid provokes Towns’ technical foul<\/p>\n Embiid played in just 31 games as a rookie after finally making it onto the court, and he first lined up against Towns in November 2016 for 76ers vs. Timberwolves.<\/p>\n Initially, the matchup didn’t bring many fireworks. In that first game, Minnesota claimed the win, with Towns going for 25 points and 10 rebounds and Embiid remaining quiet, with 10 points and 10 rebounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n The two did face off one more time in 2016-17, with Embiid \u2014 known for his on-floor antics in his early career \u2014 tried to get the Philadelphia crowd fired up after Towns received a technical foul.<\/p>\n .@JoelEmbiid<\/a> lovin that technical called on Karl-Anthony Towns pic.twitter.com\/hm8aFA3SsU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) January 4, 2017<\/a>December 2017: Embiid, Towns go back-and-forth on social media<\/p>\n The Embiid-Towns matchup escalated a bit after they met in December 2017, with Philadelphia claiming a road win over Minnesota as Embiid posted 28 points. Towns had 19, while Jimmy Butler, then with the Timberwolves, scored 38.<\/p>\n The day afterward, Embiid continued to embrace his “troll” persona, posting to Instagram a picture of him euro-stepping past Towns for a bucket with the caption: “Euro stepping our way through Minnesota and we ended up raising the cat last night.”<\/p>\n Towns responded through the comment section, writing “That caption was as trash as your picture quality,” while Embiid then answered with: “Better quality than your defense.”<\/p>\n Later on, Embiid clarified that he and Towns were simply engaging in friendly banter.<\/p>\n “I’m just having fun out there,” Embiid said, per NBC.<\/a> “Social media is a way for me to express myself. Off the court, we’re friends and stuff. On the court, I want to kick his a–, but it’s all fun.”<\/p>\n “Hopefully no one ever takes it seriously.”\u00a0<\/p>\n In November 2018, Butler would then be traded from the Timberwolves to the 76ers, reportedly having an ugly exit from Minnesota that involved him having an intense practice, dominating the starters while playing alongside the third-stringers \u2014 Butler reportedly told the team’s general manager that they “need” him.<\/p>\n MORE: Jaylen Brown calls out Joel Embiid’s “flopping” after Celtics’ blown 3-1 lead<\/a><\/p>\n October 2019: Embiid, Towns wrestle each other to floor to start 76ers-Timberwolves brawl<\/p>\n The Towns-Embiid beef went far deeper than Instagram posts by their matchup on Oct. 30, 2019.<\/p>\n In the third quarter of the matchup with Philadelphia holding a significant lead, Embiid came over to double-team Towns alongside Ben Simmons. The ball was poked free, leading to a 76ers fast break \u2014 but Embiid and Towns remained locked in-arms at the other end.<\/p>\n They began shoving each other, then Towns put Embiid in a headlock as they fell to the ground, with Simmons, Jeff Teague and others all getting involved to try to break the big men up.<\/p>\n Both Embiid and Towns were ejected from the game and later suspended two games.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Towns’ mother was seen giving a middle-finger gesture toward Embiid as he made his way to the locker room.<\/p>\n After the game, Embiid said of the fight<\/a>: “Well first of all, I ain’t no b\u2014” with a laugh.<\/p>\n “I just did what I had to do,” Embiid said. “It happens.”<\/p>\n Towns was mum about the interaction while speaking to reporters, continually just saying it was a “competitive game.” But of course, the feud then continued onto social media.<\/p>\n Embiid shared an Instagram post that showed him and Towns right before the brawl, with the location listed as “Broad Street Bullies Pub” and the caption suggesting that he was “raised around lions and a cat pulled up on me,” poking fun at Towns’ “KAT” nickname, and that he had “serious real estate” in Towns’ head.<\/p>\n No mercy from @JoelEmbiid<\/a> \ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/hGMb1uKxAV<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 31, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n Towns responded, and things only picked up more.<\/p>\n The Timberwolves star shared a photo of Embiid in tears following his 2019 Game 7 loss to the Raptors<\/a>, when Kawhi Leonard’s buzzer-beater eliminated the 76ers. Towns listed the Instagram post caption as “All Bark & No Bite” and mocked Embiid’s “raised around lions” comments.<\/a><\/p>\n Embiid wasn’t done, either. He responded, taking things even further by saying Towns’ “tough guy act ain’t cutting it”<\/a> and that Embiid “owns” him.<\/p>\n Embiid also left a lengthy comment on Towns’ Instagram post that said “Imagine talking after a 20 pts loss” and took digs at Towns for never making the playoffs at the time.<\/p>\n 2020-22: Embiid, Towns put beef in the past<\/p>\n After their beef reached near-unprecedented levels for two NBA stars, considering the very public war-of-words on social media, Embiid and Towns put it all in the past in the years following their fight.<\/p>\n Towns announced in March 2020 that his mother, who later died due to COVID-19 complications, had been placed in a medically induced coma. Embiid shared a positive message to him on X.<\/p>\n We\u2019re with you brother!!! We\u2019ll keep praying @KarlTowns<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) March 25, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n Later on, in December 2021, Towns said that the two big men had ended their beef after\u00a0Embiid testing positive for COVID-19 helped bring the two of them together.<\/p>\n “You know what’s crazy? Last time we played in Philly, I had a good conversation with Embiid, and I think that one of the great things about it was \u2014 it’s not great, I won’t say great \u2014 but like I meant what I said after. I never want anyone to deal with COVID \u2026 We had that one little moment. You know what I’m trying to say? I know my mom was involved, but I never, you know, I never wish that on anyone. Even my worst enemy,” Towns said on a stream. “The first thing he told me he’s like, ‘Bro, I understand you way better now that I’ve had it and how bad I had it. Like, I can’t sympathize with you enough about your mother, and we just really was talking.’ You know, we really talk most of the game and we just kind of caught up because we used to be good friends. Especially in high school, so I just I told him like ‘Bro, I know this deeper than basketball.’<\/p>\n I just told him during the game like whatever happens in this game and anything like I just want you to make sure that you good and you take care of your family. If you need me for anything, just, you got my number. The number ain’t change since we’ve been knowing each other. Hit me.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Embiid all but confirmed he and Towns were on friendlier terms in February 2022.<\/p>\n “We\u2019re great,” Embiid said. “We had our moment, but it\u2019s basketball. It\u2019s competitive, I am extremely competitive, and we had our moment, and, obviously, a lot of stuff happened in between. Whether him losing family members, especially his mom, which I knew them very well.”<\/p>\n two of the game\u2019s best \ud83e\udd1d pic.twitter.com\/9tCig1JSqq<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) February 26, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n Towns also said in 2024 on “Club Shay Shay” that he and Embiid “laugh” about their 2019 fight nowadays.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0When was the last time 76ers beat Celtics in the playoffs before 2026?<\/a><\/p>\n Joel Embiid vs. Karl-Anthony Towns head-to-head record, stats<\/p>\n Embiid and Towns will be meeting in the playoffs for the first time in 76ers vs. Knicks<\/a> for the second round of the 2026 playoffs.<\/p>\n However, they’ve played each other 14 times in the regular season, with Embiid’s 76ers winning nine of them. Of those 14 games, all but three of them were between Philadelphia and Minnesota prior to Towns’ trade to New York.<\/p>\n Embiid’s best game against Towns was a 51-point performance on Dec. 20, 2023, with the 76ers beating the Timberwolves. Meanwhile, Towns went for 39 points on Apr. 3, 2021, although his Timberwolves fell to the 76ers.<\/p>\n Here’s a look at the head-to-head numbers between Embiid and Towns all-time:<\/p>\n Karl-Anthony TownsPlayerJoel Embiid5Wins920.6PPG28.010.5RPG9.42.4APG3.61.0SPG0.60.9BPG1.239Career high points vs. opponent<\/p>\n 51<\/p>\n MORE: Where Knicks’ 51-point playoff win vs. Hawks ranked in all-time blowouts<\/a><\/p>\n