Back from Cameroon, Mbah a Moute rejoins Sixers

Luc Mbah a Moute rejoined the 76ers in time for their season opener Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers. The power forward did not play in the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The reason: He spent a total of 17 hours on flights from his home country of Cameroon. He was there to attend the funeral Saturday for Arthur Embiid, 13, the brother of Sixers center Joel Embiid. The teenager was killed in a car accident on Oct. 16.

"Dealing with Joel and that situation in Africa and long flights, knowing he had a back problem, [it would not be smart to] play him," coach Brett Brown said of resting Mbah a Moute. Brown said he expected him to be ready for Saturday's home opener against Miami.

The Sixers visit Milwaukee on Friday. The forward made it to Indianapolis late Tuesday. Mbah a Moute said the Embiid family has started its healing process. He expects Joel Embiid to rejoin the Sixers next week. The 7-footer is expected to miss the entire season after surgery on his right foot.

"It's a harsh reality, but he's got to get back to work," Mbah a Moute said. "Fortunately for him, he's hurt. He's got more time to spend back [in Cameroon] with [his parents.] It's a tough experience.

"I think the best thing for him is to stay with them for a few more days and come back."

Funny man Allen Lavoy Allen is still the jokester that folks in Philadelphia remember. The Sixers traded the fun-loving power forward to the Indiana Pacers in February. Allen, a former Temple star who rarely played last season after the trade, was asked before the game about being with the Pacers.

"It's pretty good, so far," Allen said. "It's not as many homicides as back home. So that's always a good thing."

The 6-foot-9, 260-pounder also said he was going to shoot three-pointers and play guard against the Sixers.

When he wasn't telling jokes, Allen did appear delighted to remain with the Pacers. The team signed him to a one-year deal for $948,000.

Coach Frank Vogel said Allen was the most impressive Pacer in the preseason. "He's goes and get the ball," Vogel said. "When the shot goes up, 'Lavoy will get it.' That's the saying. But he's knocked down shots. He's played with toughness and physicality, which I like up front."

Cherry-picking time Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé pitched an idea to his team's front-office personnel about defending with only four players. That would leave one man to be a cherry-picker on offense.

"We have a drill like that," Brown said. "It's funny. I call it the Jeff Van Gundy drill. Jeff gave me a great transition-defense drill and we actually start the drill that way. JVG. But I haven't heard that as far as being a strategy."

Doing that in a drill at practice is one. Doing it in a game is something completely different.

"I wouldn't" do it, Brown said. "We are trying to guard. If I had four all-league defenders, I might consider it. But no, in fact that would be the furthest thing we would do at this stage with us."