The Denver Nuggets secured a hard-fought victory over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers, winning 111-105 in a game that was missing one of its star attractions. Despite the absence of Joel Embiid, the Nuggets managed to fend off a gritty Sixers team behind the stellar performance of Nikola Jokic, who contributed 26 points and 16 rebounds.
Embiid, a fellow MVP contender alongside Jokic, missed the game for the fourth consecutive season due to concerns over his left knee. The Sixers' medical staff made the decision to hold him out of the contest, denying basketball fans the highly anticipated rematch between the last two NBA MVP recipients.
Just minutes before tip-off, Embiid was scratched from the lineup after grimacing through his warmups. Sixers coach Nick Nurse expressed his disappointment, stating that Embiid had desired to play but the medical team deemed him unfit.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone expressed his frustration with the late notice of Embiid's absence and raised the issue of the league investigating such situations. He also highlighted the challenge of preparing for a game only to find out at the last minute that a key player would not be available.
In addition to Embiid, the Sixers were missing several other key players, including Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and Mo Bamba. Combined with Embiid's absence, the Sixers were without an average of 84 points in scoring for the game. Despite the depleted roster, the tired Nuggets, who had recently completed a 12-day East Coast road trip, faced a determined challenge from the Sixers and struggled to pull away until the final minutes.
While fans were disappointed by Embiid's absence, Jokic chose to focus on the impressive performance of Paul Reed, who scored a career-high 30 points for the Sixers. Jokic acknowledged that Reed's exceptional display deserved recognition and praised Embiid's remarkable season, stating that he was witnessing history unfold before his eyes.
Embiid has been averaging an impressive 36 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, making him a formidable force in the league. However, his availability has been a concern, as he has already missed 11 games this season. The NBA's new rules allow players to miss a maximum of six more games to remain eligible for the league's awards, including the MVP title that he won last year, denying Jokic a third consecutive win.
Embiid and Jokic have been competing for the frontrunner status for MVP over the past four seasons, with each taking turns as the runner-up when the other emerged as the victor. In their previous meeting this season, Embiid outperformed Jokic with 41 points and 10 assists, yet he praised Jokic as the game's best player and commended him on leading the Nuggets to their first NBA title last summer.
Embiid's absence in Denver has become a recurring storyline, as he hasn't played there since November 2019. Last year, he faced mockery from fans when 'Missing Person' signs appeared in the stands after he sat out a game against the Nuggets due to a sore right calf, leading to accusations of him avoiding a matchup against Jokic. This time, chants of 'Where's Embiid?' resonated from the crowd as the game began.
The Nuggets' victory was hard-fought, and Malone acknowledged that it was far from an easy win. Despite the absence of Embiid, the Sixers put up a strong fight until the end. Embiid, in street clothes, cheered on his teammates from the sidelines during the game but did not make an appearance in the locker room afterward.
Next, the 76ers will visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night, while the Nuggets will host the Bucks in Doc Rivers' coaching debut for Milwaukee on the same evening.
