Mbah a Moute returns to Sixers

INDIANAPOLIS - Luc Mbah a Moute didn't appear to be lacking excitement entering his seventh season opener, but he certainly had reason not to be super-hyped.

The 76ers swingman spent 17 hours on Tuesday traveling back to Philadelphia from Africa, and with a 7-hour time difference, he literally lost a full day. He had traveled to his native Cameroon last week to be with teammate and prodigy Joel Embiid and his family. Embiid's brother, Arthur, was 13 when he was struck by a vehicle and killed on Oct. 16. The two families have known each other for a long time, so it was a no-brainer for Mbah a Moute to go back and be with his friends. Arthur's funeral was last Saturday.

"The family's spirit is better than when I first got there," Mbah a Moute said. "They are trying to move forward from this hard experience. Everybody is pretty positive. The fact that Joel is there with his sister [who attends school in Michigan] helped his mother and his dad and everybody a lot."

Mbah a Moute said the Sixers center probably will remain with the family for a couple more days before returning to the team.

"It's a tough experience," Mbah a Moute said. "I think the best thing for him is to stay with them for a few more days and then come back. His dad and my dad are good friends, so they've known each other. I've known his family since he was very young and then through the process of bringing him here to the States we obviously developed a very strong relationship. I knew [Arthur], too. I hung out with him this summer the whole time I was [in Cameroon] with my [basketball] camp. It was tragic."

Because of the hectic travel schedule and time away from the team, coach Brett Brown decided to keep Mbah a Moute out of last night's 103-91 loss to Indiana and probably won't dress him until the home opener on Saturday against Miami.

Temple product Lavoy Allen appears to have found a home in Indianapolis, where he was traded last season by the Sixers at the trade deadline.

"He had one of the best preseasons of anyone on our roster," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "He played so well I feel he needed to be in the rotation. He gets the ball. He goes and gets the ball. He rebounds. [Pacers president Larry Bird] always says that when a shot goes up, 'Lavoy will get it.' That's his saying.

"He's knocked down shots. He's played with toughness and physicality, which I like up front. Part of our identity is smash-mouth basketball, playing with size and playing with physicality, dominating defensive rebounding and playing with length at the rim. He's given us that and he's been solid at the offensive end as well."

Allen got in quick foul trouble last night, committing three in his first 6 minutes. In 20 minutes, Allen posted six points and five rebounds.

At the Sixers' morning shootaround at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, coach Brett Brown said he knew who his starting shooting guard was, but didn't want to say. He revealed before the game it was going to be Chris Johnson.

It was Johnson's 49th game in the NBA, but his first start; he scored 12 points. The spot may eventually go to rookie K.J. McDaniels, but Brown still wants to mold the youngster.

"I feel like if I'm coming off the bench I can bring a lot of energy and a lot of excitement," McDaniels said. "It's here, so I've got to capitalize on it."

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