Philadelphia 76ers

Four amazing things in this 23-second clip ...

1) Joel Embiid says his playoff series with the Brooklyn Nets is already OVER -- even though it's only 3-1.

2) Embiid's post-game meal is Shake Shack (the burgers are awesome).

3) He stops to take a picture with a kid (always cool with his fans).

4) Embiid's girlfriend makes a cameo ... and good lord.

So, we spotted Embiid after his 76ers beat the Nets on Saturday -- in a game that was pretty contentious. Remember, Joel's teammate, Jimmy Butler, and Nets' player Jared Dudley got ejected when things got a little too chippy.

The 76ers ended up winning the game 112 to 108. Embiid had 31 points, 16 rebounds and 7 assists.

After the game, Embiid stopped for some celebratory fast food -- and that's when our 23-second encounter began.

Oh, and his girlfriend ... she is Anne De Paula -- a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition model from Brazil. The two have reportedly been together since late 2018.

Joel Embiid thinks Wilt Chamberlain, NOT Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever ... and Dennis Rodman thinks ... well, he thinks Embiid should "shut the f**k up!!!"

TMZ Sports saw Rodman at LAX on Sunday ... and asked him about the 76ers star's comments about his former Bulls teammate.

Embiid sent the NBA world into a frenzy during a recent episode of Ringer's NBA Desktop, when he said ... "[Jordan] is not the G.O.A.T."

"To me, you got Wilt Chamberlain. He’s got all the records, and no one is ever gonna beat them. I don’t see anyone ever getting 100 points in a game. That’s it, he’s the G.O.A.T.”

Rodman's take?

"Joel Embiid, you're doing a great job for your little island or country where you're from. Shut the f**k up, go do your goddamn job and do Philly proud. That's the 1 thing they need, a championship."

Just to be crystal clear DR didn't agree with Joel's take ... we followed up -- so, you're saying Embiid's wrong about Michael not being the greatest of all time???

"You're goddamn right he's wrong."

Rodman might be a little biased ... he played 3 years with Michael in Chicago -- winning an NBA championship each season.

Michael ('84-'03) and Wilt ('59-'73) played in different eras ... and both had ridiculous stats and an insane amount of accolades.

Jordan is a 6x NBA champion, 6x Finals MVP, 5x NBA MVP, 14x All-Star, 10x NBA scoring champ, 10x All-NBA 1st Team, 9x NBA All-Defensive 1st Team who averaged 30 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists a game over his 15 season career.

Wilt was a 2x NBA champion, 1x Finals MVP, 4x NBA MVP, 13x All-Star, 7x NBA scoring champ, 7x All-NBA 1st Team, 11x NBA rebounding champ who once scored 100 points in a game and averaged 30 points, 23 rebounds, 4 assists a game over his 14 season career.

MJ is in the Basketball Hall of Fame and the FIBA HOF ... and Wilt's in the Basketball HOF and College B-Ball HOF.

We also asked Rodman if Embiid -- who's a pretty good hooper himself (he's arguably the league's most skilled big man) -- will ever himself be considered one of the all-time greats.

Ben Simmons and Kendall Jenner just learned how tragedy can bring a couple closer together ... because lovebirds spent some quality time moments after Ben was assaulted on the hoops court.

By a vicious, savage, disrespectful, jaw-dropping dunk.

It happened during the Knicks vs. 76ers game Wednesday night, when Knicks rookie Kevin Knox delivered a two-handed destruction to Simmons that shook social media to its core (which is pretty easy to do).

It happened in front of a packed house of celebrities including Regina King (who almost got bulldozed by Joel Embiid), Tracy Morgan, Karrueche Tran, Justin Long and Maluma.

Kendall was there too, and after the game she and Ben hit the town with some pretty long (but beautiful) faces, probably contemplating Ben's basketball future, while dealing with post-dunk PTSD.

Here's the play ... please don't allow any young kids, people with cardiac conditions or small dogs to watch.

America almost lost a legend Wednesday night ... but thankfully, Joel Embiid's hops saved the day.

Golden Globe-winning actress Regina King had courtside seats at MSG for the Sixers and Knicks game ... but it might've been TOO close to the action considering what went down in the 3rd quarter.

Embiid went chasing after a loose ball that was heading for the stands, forcing him to jump over RK in the process ... and you can tell by King's face -- she was SHOOK.

Embiid ended up kicking the dude behind King square in the chest ... but he appeared to be just fine.

King tweeted about the scare ... saying, "Yoooo. Thank you God and @JoelEmbiid for your athletic abilities. Crisis averted."

Kendall Jenner and Ben Simmons took advantage of the NBA star's off day ... to spend some time all over each other on a romantic dinner date.

Bendall hit up Cipriani in New York City Thursday night. She was fully embracing him and kissing her boo's face as they snuggled up in a corner table.

As you know ... Kendall's been spending a lot of time with Ben lately, and even sat courtside with his mom at one of his Sixers games last month. They've been dating on and off since last May, or as Kendall put it to Ellen ... they've been official "for a bit now."

Baron Davis says the Clippers franchise got BETTER by trading its best player Tuesday ... telling TMZ Sports shipping Tobias Harris to the Sixers sets L.A. up really well for the future.

"Everybody lives in the now. Nobody thinks about 2-3 years ahead where the salary cap is going to be."

Translation ... B-Diddy thinks moving on from Harris, and a couple other players, for essentially a boatload of draft picks will make the Clips better down the road.

"When you make the trade, you always looking for 3-4 years out and I think the Clippers got some incredible pieces."

The other important thing Davis notes? There's a bunch of stars set to be free agents this offseason -- including Kawhi Leonard -- and now the Clips have the cash to make a run at those guys.

Sixers fans lookin' to use Kendall Jenner as a scapegoat better check the facts -- Ben Simmons' boo is actually GOOD LUCK for Philly ... so says team co-owner Michael Rubin!!

KJ and the NBA stud have been an on-and-off item for about a year ... but things appear to be heating up, with Jenner showing face at A LOT of Sixers games these past few weeks.

TMZ Sports spoke with the billionaire at his Fanatics Super Bowl event in Atlanta about whether he's worried of the popular "Kardashian Curse" ... and it's safe to say dude thinks it's a bunch of BS.

"13-2 since they've been dating," Rubin tells us ... which doesn't make sense if you're looking at Philly's schedule, the team's actually 11-4 in their last 15 games ... but we get what he's saying.

How do you make a 6'2", 240-pound man look SMALL?

Stand him next to Joel Embiid ... because that's exactly what happened when Yasiel Puig ran into the 76ers star in Beverly Hills and TMZ Sports cameras caught the whole thing.

Embiid was eating a meal at Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills when we got Puig walking up to him to say hi. But, it was when Embiid stood up to take a picture that the size became an issue.

To be fair to Puig, Embiid is 7'0" tall, so it would basically take Yao Ming to make him look small -- but still, it's pretty funny when you see the two guys next to each other.

BTW ... Puig's car is ridiculous ... and he showed it to the cameras after he was done making a new friend ... it's a Dodger blue Lambo, which now that he's been traded to Cincy, makes us all sad.

Seems Ben Simmons is getting more serious about Kendall Jenner -- because he sat his girlfriend with his MOTHER at the 76ers game on Monday!

Check out Kendall rubbing elbows with Julie Simmons at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia -- where Ben and the 76ers beat up on the Houston Rockets in a 121 to 93 victory.

Ben's stat line wasn't spectacular -- only 9 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds. And, he only hit 3 of 12 shots, which is bad for him (he usually shoots well over 50%).

But, who cares about individual stats when your team wins, right?

Plus, the most important question ... did Kendall and Mom get along?! Pretty well actually. The two were seen smiling and chatting. Good times.

It's not the first time they've kicked it together -- Kendall and Julie hung out at a game back in November 2018 and got along great then too.

Ben and Kendall have been dating on and off since May 2018. The next big question ... when does Julie get to come to L.A. to meet the rest of the Kardashians??

Remember when TMZ Sports spotted Jimmy Butler drivin' around Beverly Hills in a freakin' minivan??

The Philadelphia Sixers superstar is finally dishing out the deets on why he prefers mom mobiles over luxury whips ... saying it's all a big scheme to throw people off.

And, that it does.

Not only does Jimmy Buckets rock vans -- he was in a Toyota Sienna when we shot him back in September -- he also has a "baby on board" sign in the back to top it all off.

"I'm telling you, you would never know it's me swanging that bad baby," Butler says.

"I stay real nonchalant with everything."

Hey, like we said ... the Sienna ain't a bad car at all -- 0 to 60 in 7 seconds with "spacious, high-quality interior," according to U.S. News and World Report ... and those 14 cup holders!!

It's all part of Butler's new YouTube channel, which documents his life on and off the court.

Is Ben Simmons secretly the sweetest, sappiest boyfriend ever???

Maybe ... 'cause Kendall Jenner posted a SUPER romantic, handwritten love letter on social media Monday (but blacked out the name of the sender) ... and signs point to the 76ers point guard.

The letter begins, "Dear Kendall, We may be miles apart but my love for you grows stronger by the minute. My innermost feeling is of pure love for you."

"I will love you until death separates us. Right now this separation is killing me, but in my heart I know that nothing would come close to separating us."

It continues, "We are united into one forever, body and soul and I want you to know that I love you from the deepest part of my heart."

It's signed with, "Love," but Kendall blocked out the author ... which begs the question -- IS IT REALLY FROM BEN?!?!

Seems it could be ... the two have gotten super serious the last few weeks, ice skating, grabbing bites to eat and hanging out after Sixers games.

Plus ... Philly WAS just on a road trip in Toronto and then Detroit ...

So, is Simmons the author?? Here's a look at his handwriting -- you be the judge.

Kendall Jenner and Ben Simmons did what lots of couples do when the holiday season rolls around -- hit up an ice skating rink so the guy can watch his GF twirl like she's Kristi Yamaguchi ... but she isn't.

Kendall and Ben hit up Philadelphia's Rothman Institute Ice Rink on Monday -- although Kendall was the only one brave enough to slip on a pair of skates.

We're guessing the 76ers are happy their star point guard kept his feet on dry land -- can't risk a twisted ankle. Then again, neither can Kendall. Runway models don't typically do their best work in casts or ace bandages. Luckily for her ... it looks like she has genuine ice skills.

It's good to see Kendall staying on her feet, unlike that time she nearly face-planted on a bicycle.

Kendall and Ben have been hanging a lot in Philly recently ... they grabbed a bite last week after the Sixers took an embarrassing loss, and checked out some college hoops this weekend.

All this after last month's relationship rebound.

Dikembe Mutombo loves Joel Embiid so damn much, he wants the young star to carry on his legendary finger wag ... so he's offering up personal lessons!

First off, props to Mutombo who spent his Turkey Day volunteering at the Hosea Williams Feed The Hungry Thanksgiving dinner in Atlanta. Good on you and everyone involved in that program.

As for Embiid, Mutombo has previously talked about how he views the Philadelphia 76ers star "like a son" -- but clearly thinks the kid needs a little more swag in his game!

"I'm trying to teach him the 'No, no, no! Not today!'"

Ya gotta watch Dikembe talk about Embiid -- he loves the guy ... but he also loves to tease him about how he'll never break his records or go down as the greatest NBA player who hails from an African country.

And, if you want to learn more about the Hosea Helps organization -- click here.

Jimmy Butler was personally greeted by his new Sixers GM, Elton Brand, and a private jet on his way outta Minnesota on Monday ... and TMZ Sports has the pics!!

The ex-Timberwolves forward was just shipped to Philadelphia in a blockbuster trade that sent Dario Saric and Robert Covington to Minnesota ... and Brand clearly couldn't wait to meet his newest superstar.

The Sixers are in Miami to play the Heat Monday night ... but we're told the guys are going straight to Philly. Butler's expected to suit up for the Sixers on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic.

It's Brand's first huge trade in his new position as general manager after his own 17-year NBA career ... and judging by the pics, he's happy with the results.

Kendall Jenner and Ben Simmons -- Round 2?!?!?

Sure seems like it, because the two got together for some private 1-on-1 time after the 76ers played the Clippers in Philadelphia this week ... and we've got the video.

Remember, Kendall and Ben broke things off in September after she was spotted kissing Anwar Hadid in a nightclub ... despite being in a relationship with Simmons for months.

It appeared the two had moved on -- until Thursday night, when Kendall showed up at Ben's game at Wells Fargo Center. Witnesses say Kendall had a private suite and tons of security.

After the game, security cleared an exit route for her, so she could slyly meet up with Simmons in the player parking lot after the game without anyone seeing.

But, there were fans who could catch the action from up above in the arena -- and you can see in the video Ben was waiting for Kendall with a super clean sprinter van -- and only he and Kendall get inside.

So, the question ... reconciling? Thinking about reconciling? Or, just one fun night in Philly?

Meek Mill can't lose these days ... first he gets his freedom back, then he squashes beef with Drake, and now he's winning a cool $50k by making a crazy over-the-shoulder, half-court hoops trick shot.

Meek was hanging out with his pal, Michael Rubin -- owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and one of MM's strongest allies when he was inside -- when the two men decided to have a little friendly wager.

Friendly, meaning $50k ... according to Meek.

Meek had 25 tries to make an over-the-shoulder, half-court heave ... and with about 9 tries left, he nailed it.

Listen, the NBA season kicks off Tuesday night and, while we think it's dope someone other than those guys are getting paid for basketball, this whole thing reminds of one very sobering fact.