d was third quickest in 21.93.Katie Ledeckys bid to add another relay to her Rio program took a big blow when she finished seventh in the 100 freestyle. Abbey Weitzeil (53.28) and Simone Manuel (53.52), a pai

Joel Embiid and Dwight Howard will be the centers of attention Saturday afternoon, when the Philadelphia 76ers host the Atlanta Hawks.Embiid started his career impressively in Wednesday nights season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder while Howard re-started his in the same fashion one night later, when the Hawks defeated the Washington Wizards.It was special, Embiid said after collecting 20 points and seven rebounds in a 103-97 loss to the Thunder. I thought this moment was going to be special, and it was great.The 7-0 Embiid, the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, sat out two seasons while recovering from a pair of foot surgeries. He is on a minutes restriction and played only 22:25 against Oklahoma City but thrilled a sellout crowd in the Wells Fargo Center with his every move.The fans chanted MVP or Trust the Process when he went to the foul line, the latter a reference to the rebuilding approach of former general manager Sam Hinkie. Embiid also labelled himself the Process in an SI.com profile earlier this week.Thats my motto -- Trust the process -- so that was great (to hear the fans chant it), he said.Overall, Embiid felt he did OK.At the beginning I was nervous, he said. Once you make that first shot, it just goes away.The 30-year-old Howard made eight All-Star teams in his first 10 seasons but struggled the last two years with the Houston Rockets. He signed a free-agent contract in July with Atlanta, his hometown team, and in Thursdays season-opening 114-99 victory over the Wizards contributed 11 points and 19 rebounds.Paul Millsap led the Hawks with 28 points Tim Hardaway Jr. added 21 off the bench, but Howards performance had people buzzing.Dwight has established himself as an elite defensive player and elite rebounder and elite shot blocker, coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters afterward. Hes proven. His work and his commitment to everything were doing, Im very pleased with. It really makes a difference and I think it can fuel us in our pace.Were going to want that from Dwight on Saturday and whenever we play again after that. I think hes looking forward to being a force.Especially on the glass.Its my job, Howard said Thursday night, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Thats the first thing Coach said in our first meeting as a team: He said, Dwight, we want you to rebound. You have to defensively and offensively rebound. You have to set the tone for our team on the glass every single night. If we can hold teams to one shot, were going to be able to get out in transition with guys like Kyle (Korver) and Dennis (Schroder) and Baze (Kent Bazemore), where they tend to do great. If I can get the ball and kick it out to them early and get those easy shots, our defense is always set.Its my job and I take pride in it. For us to win, especially win a championship, we got to rebound. 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Its been an injury-plagued season for Datsyuk, who has suited up for just 39 games. OMAHA, Neb. -- Matching each other stroke for stroke, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte surged to the wall in almost perfect sync.Phelps got there first, just ahead of the guy whos pushed him hard for more than a decade.It was like so many races theyve had before.Theres one more to go in Rio.In the latest epic of their longtime rivalry -- and billed as the last showdown in their home country -- Phelps edged Lochte in the 200-meter individual medley at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials Friday night.Ryan and I always have a great race with one another, said Phelps, who plans to retire again after his fifth Olympics. When we race each other, we bring each other to a different level.Phelps led from start to finish, but Lochte was right with him all the way. In fact, he seemed to pull even midway through the final lap, but the most decorated athlete in Olympic history managed to get to the wall in 1 minute, 55.91 seconds.Lochte was next at 1:56.22 and had no complaints about the consolation prize: his only individual race at the Olympics.I knew going into this race it was definitely going to be a dogfight to the end, Lochte said. Its been a long journey, but the journeys not over. We still have another month to get ready and show the world that the U.S. is number one.Lochte, an 11-time medalist, injured his groin on the very first day of the meet, struggled in his next few races and was down to his final chance to get a swim of his own at the Summer Games.Now, thats out of the way, which means Phelps and Lochte will get another crack at each other in South America.As a three-time defending gold medalist in the 200 IM, Phelps will be the favorite.But he knows Lochte wont be far behind, especially with a month to get over the groin issue.I dont know of another person in this world who brings out the best in me like he does, said Phelps, who has 18 golds and 22 medals overall. Neither one of us likes to lose.Phelps and Lochte actually had their first encounter on the way to the deck. Lochte, walking out right behind Phelps, stepped on the back of his sneaker.I gave him a flat tire by accident, Lochte said. Hes like, `What are you doing, trying to mess me up? I was like, `No, no, no.All was forgiven when it was over, Phelps and Lochte holding up their arms together on the deck while the sellout crowd roared.It was the end for another defending Olympic champion.Tyler Clary finished third in the 200 backstroke and called it a career, having missed out on a chance to defend the gold he won in London. He finished behind California Aquatics teammates Ryan Murphy and Jacob Pebley, who earned the two spoots for Rio.ddddddddddddMurphy grabbed the lead on the second lap and pulled away to win easily in 1:53.95, completing a sweep of the backstroke events.Pebley held on for the second spot, touching in 1:54.77 to earn his first trip to the Olympics.Clary was next at 1:55.33. He clung to a lane rope while Murphy and Pebley celebrated, before swimming over to congratulate them both.Thats it, Clary said. I couldnt be happier to be sending Team USA off with two backstrokers that I have a lot of respect for, and I know they are going to represent Team USA well in Rio.There was another sweep in the womens breaststroke, where Lilly King added a 200 victory to her earlier triumph in the 100. The 19-year-old from Indiana won in 2:24.08, while Molly Hannis claimed the second Rio spot at 2:24.39, giving the U.S. team yet another Olympic rookie.Then again, it wasnt totally a night for the upstarts.Anthony Ervin and Nathan Adrian were the top two qualifiers in the semifinals of the 50 freestyle. The 35-year-old Ervin led the way in 21.55, while Adrian was second quickest in 21.60. Both men are already on the team, with Ervin still seeking an individual event to go with his relay duty and Adrian set to defend his 100 free title from the London Games.Dont forget Cullen Jones, a silver medalist in this event four years ago. The 32-year-old was third quickest in 21.93.Katie Ledeckys bid to add another relay to her Rio program took a big blow when she finished seventh in the 100 freestyle. Abbey Weitzeil (53.28) and Simone Manuel (53.52), a pair of 19-year-olds heading to their first Olympics, earned the individual spots. Olympic veterans Amanda Weir, Lia Neal, Allison Schmitt and Dana Vollmer took the next four spots to put themselves at the head of the 4x100 free relay pool.Ledecky will likely have to settle for three individual events and one relay at these games. Her sprinting still needs a bit of work.I wouldve loved to have gone faster, but Ill take it, she said.Phelps has locked up two individual events for Rio, having already qualified in the 200 butterfly. He returned about 30 minutes after his victory over Lochte to post the sixth-fastest time in the semifinals of the 100 fly.That was good enough to send Phelps to the final Saturday night -- his final event of the trials.Then its on to Rio, where one more race with Lochte awaits.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry . ' ' '