Denver Nuggets fans will need to exercise patience for another year before witnessing the highly anticipated matchup between Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Philadelphia 76ers ruled out Embiid for the game against the Nuggets in Denver due to left knee soreness. The Sixers’ decision to sideline Embiid was made just minutes before tip-off after their training staff observed him during warm-ups.
The absence of Embiid, Tyrese Maxey (ankle), and Tobias Harris (illness) left the Sixers shorthanded against the 31-15 Nuggets. Despite the setbacks, the Nuggets secured a 111-105 victory, with Jokic delivering a solid performance of 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting, 16 rebounds, and seven assists.
Despite a noticeable limp, Embiid did make it to the court after the game to embrace Jokic.
This game marked a significant moment, as Embiid had not played in Denver since November 2019. Both Jokic and Embiid have established themselves as the top two centers in the NBA, consistently finishing as the league’s top two players in MVP voting over the last three seasons. Jokic claimed the MVP title in 2021 and 2022, while Embiid secured it last year.
The absence was unfortunate, especially considering the national television audience for the clash between the NBA’s top two MVP candidates. Embiid’s last appearance in Denver was 10 days ago, where he whispered to Jokic, “See you in two weeks,” after defeating the Nuggets in Philadelphia.
The game’s implications go beyond the matchup itself, as Embiid’s missed games this season now total 11. If he misses six more games, he will be ineligible for NBA awards voting, including the MVP race against Jokic.
The NBA’s updated rules dictate that a player must participate in at least 65 games to be eligible, with 17 games as the threshold for elimination.
