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PHILADELPHIA -- As word spread through NBA inner circles that Kansas prospect Joel Embiid suffered a foot injury, the Philadelphia 76ers wondered if his misfortune was just the break the downtrodden franchise needed. "I sniffed opportunity," Sam Hinkie, the teams president and general manager, said Friday. "The moment he got hurt, we thought we might get him. We might be just the organization with just the set of owners, and we might be the one to do it." When the 7-foot centre was available at three, the Sixers pounced, even though he could miss up to a full season because of a broken foot. The 76ers are used to big men sitting out the season. Former All-Star centre Andrew Bynum never played a second because of bad knees in 2012-13. And rookie Nerlens Noel sat out all of last season because of a torn ACL. Noel, the No. 6 overall pick out of Kentucky, was antsy to play toward the end of a 19-63 season. The Sixers refused to rush him, not wanting to risk additional injury in what was always planned as a lost -- or, tanked -- season. Embiid recovery from a stress fracture in his right foot could take five to eight months. So will the Sixers play him in another season where the Sixers are building again toward a high lottery pick instead of a post-season berth? "Guess what our approach will be," Hinkie said, smiling. "Well focus on the long-term health of the player." Embiid wont be Philadelphias only lottery pick sitting out next season. Croatian forward Dario Saric, the 10th overall pick, signed a three-year deal last week to play in Turkey. The Sixers hold the rights to the 6-foot-10, 230-pounder for the next three years, and it could be that long until he plays for Philly. By the time hes set to join the Sixers, the organization hoped a playoff berth would be within reach. Hinkie said the Noel-Embiid frontcourt will be a "menace" at the rim. Coach Brett Brown was already drawing up plays for the duo -- Xs and Os hell have plenty of time to perfect. "I do think that Joel and Nerlens can co-exist," Brown said. "I think I can find a way to play those two guys together. Its a really good problem to have." Hinkie credited Philly fans for their "patience and understanding" for another lean season where the best outcome would be a No. 1 draft pick and not a seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Outside of rookie of the year Michael Carter-Williams and veteran forward Thaddeus Young, the Sixers have few other credible players, and will likely stack the roster again with D-League castoffs and 10-day contract stopgaps. "Its not even close to demoralizing," Brown said. Brown tried his best at an optimistic spin on the seasons ahead. Knowing the security of three more years left on his contract makes it easier to wait for a project like Embiid. The versatile 7-foot Embiid had a fantastic freshman season with the Jayhawks, averaging 11.2 points and 8.1 rebounds while blocking 72 shots to earn Big 12 defensive player of the year honours. Embiid, who grew up playing soccer and volleyball, only decided to pursue basketball a few years ago. He started to blossom as a senior at The Rock School and ultimately chose to attend Kansas, where he arrived with less fanfare than fellow freshmen Andrew Wiggins and Wayne Selden. Embiid hurt his back while landing awkwardly during a game late in the season, and missed the Jayhawks final two regular-season games and the Big 12 tournament. He also missed a victory over Eastern Kentucky and a season-ending loss to Stanford in the NCAA tournament, after which he said that he would have been able to play had Kansas advanced to the second weekend. Hinkie said the Sixers consulted various doctors and felt confident there was little long-term risk to his health once the foot healed. Embiid was projected as Clevelands No. 1 overall pick before the draft. The honour went to Wiggins. "In this scenario, and only this scenario, does he fall to three," Hinkie said. "If he can remain healthy, he can have a fantastic, fantastic NBA career." Notes: 76ers G Jason Richardson exercised the $6.6 million player option for next season and will return. The 7-foot C Byron Mullens declined his $1.1 million option and will become a free agent. Jonathan Huberdeau Jersey . "Its embarrassing what were doing here," leading scorer Phil Kessel said Wednesday. The most recent failed season came with even more pain than the six that preceded it. There was no hint of an impending implosion when the Leafs came roaring out of the all-star break with back-to-back games against Pittsburgh -- a 5-4 shootout loss followed by a 1-0 win the next night. Jonathan Huberdeau Panthers Jersey .com) - The Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors are back in the great white north for a brief moment and will host the Dallas Mavericks Friday night from Air Canada Centre. http://www.hockeypanthersofficialonline....-hockey-jersey/. Halak did not get the start in the Washington Capitals Tuesday night game against the St. Frank Vatrano Panthers Jersey . Johan Franzen had two goals and two assists, Gustav Nyquist a goal and three assists and David Legwand a goal and two assists in the Red Wings 7-4 win over the New Jersey Devils. Ian McCoshen Panthers Jersey . The two teams will play through the completion of the game starting at 5pm ct on Wednesday. The regularly scheduled Wednesday night matchup will follow that and will now be seven innings. PHILADELPHIA -- The 76ers fans came to celebrate Allen Iversons No. 3. Trevor Ariza left them talkin about 40. Ariza made eight 3-pointers and scored a career-high 40 points to help the Washington Wizards win their sixth straight game, 122-103 over Philadelphia on Saturday night. Ariza made all six 3-point attempts in the first quarter for 24 points and finished 14 of 23 from the floor overall. The 76ers lost their 13th straight game on the night they retired Iversons No. 3. Iverson had his number sent to the rafters, fit between Maurice Cheeks No. 10 and Charles Barkleys No. 34. The Sixers even gave him a boat named, "The Answer." The Sixers enjoyed their first sellout of 20,856 for Iversons triumphant homecoming. The fans, though, saw the same old sorry Sixers. Ariza had his milestone game in front of one of his childhood favourites. "What he brought to the game made me love the game the way I love it," he said. "He was amazing for a lot of years and he definitely changed the culture of the NBA. This was his night and, I guess, thats definitely a thanks for all the things hes done throughout my life and my career. "Just being a fan of his since I was young, its great to be able to perform that way on a big night like that for him." Ariza had plenty of help for a Wizards team making a run in the Eastern Conference. John Wall had 17 points and tied a career high with 16 assists, and Marcin Gortat had 13 points and 14 rebounds. Ariza, averaging 14.3 points, seemed like he would top his career high of 33 in the first 12 minutes. The Sixers were helpless as the 6-foot-8 forward made his 3-point shots with the ease of a pop-a-shot contest. With the building buzzing over Iversons retirement ceremony, Ariza silenced them at stretches with six 3s and 9 of 10 shooting overall, helping the Wizards storm out to a 15-point lead. Wall had the assist on most of those looks and finished the quarter with eight. "What more can you ask than a guy who wants to see you succeed," Ariza said. "I feel like thats what we do here now; we all want to see each other succeed." The fans were mostly distracted by the parade of former greats the Sixers trotted oout for Iversons big night.ddddddddddddThey went wild for Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and former team president Pat Croce. But they came for the global superstar who popularized "talkin about practice." The Sixers may as well have turned the arena into an AI museum. Four banners greeted fans at the main concourse entrance, and photos of him were plastered all around the arena. The merchandise stands sold Iverson jerseys for $130, and lower level tickets were going for as much for $1,280 on Stubhub about an hour before the 7:30 p.m. tipoff. The fans loved him, and he blew them kisses after the No. 3 was raised to show how much he loved them back. "I am Philly," Iverson said. "Its always going to be that way." Wall, who had his 22nd double-double, returned to the court at halftime to record Iversons ceremony. "He was my role model and I looked up to him," he said. "Being a small guard, thats where I took a lot of my game from. This city embraced him and let him be who he was as a person. He always gave his best effort. "I always wanted to grow braids like Iverson. The only thing I didnt have was the tattoos." Iversons return injected a rare dose of excitement into a franchise playing some of the worst basketball in the league. The Sixers, in full-blown rebuilding mode, lost their 12th straight home game. The Wizards made some history as well, scoring a Wells Fargo Center record 74 points in the first half and led by 12. Perhaps fueled by Iversons ceremony, the Sixers went on a 9-0 run in the third to trim the gap to 12 points. It just wasnt enough and the Sixers allowed 100-plus points for the 13th straight game. Tony Wroten led the Sixers with 19 points and Thaddeus Young had 17. Coach Brett Brown didnt hesitate when asked if he wondered if the Sixers would win another game. "All the time," he said. Notes: Arizas previous career best was at Houston on Oct. 31, 2009. ... Trevor Booker had 14 points and Bradley Beal 11, giving the Wizards five starters in double figures. ... Ariza also had four steals. ... Phillies OF Marlon Byrd wore Iversons No. 3 during spring training batting practice. 23:21ET 01-03-14 ' ' '