Five things you to know about the 76ers today

by Keith Pompey

Published Dec. 16, 2016, 2:28 p.m. ET

Five things you need to know about the 76ers today:

1. Sixers will play in a game featuring to two of the league's top three scoring benches Friday night at Wells Fargo Center. The Los Angeles Lakers lead the league in bench scoring at 52.1 points per game, while the Sixers are third at 40.4.

2. Joel Embiid is running away with the rookie shot-blocking title. His 40 blocks are more than double that of the nearest rookie, Toronto's Pascal Siakam, who has 15.

3. Friday's game will be a reunion of sorts. Ben Simmons and Lakers point guard D'Antoni Russell were teammates at Montverde Academy in high school. Embiid and Russell were teammates there as sophomores, one year befor Simmons arrived.

4. Embiid is the third player since the 1983-84 season to average 17.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks through 16 career games. The others were Shaquille O'Neal (1992-93) and former Sixer Dikembe Mutombo (1991-92).

5. Robert Covington is on a roll. The swingman has scored 42 points (26 Wednesday and 16 Sunday) while shooting 52 percent (16 of 29) and made 5 of 11 three-pointers.

Follow and contact 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter and on Instagram at PompeyOnSixers.