Why does Joel Embiid never play Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets in Denver?

Yesterday at 04:17 PM

Playing in Denver is one mile-high club that Joel Embiid apparently wants no part of. How else do you explain the fact that he hasn’t played against Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets at Ball Arena the past FIVE seasons?!

Nikola Jokic vs Joel Embiid is the definitive big man matchup of this generation, yet for one reason or another Embiid has missed the past five opportunities to take part in it when it’s in the Mile High City.

This goes back to the 76ers matchup with the Nuggets on March 30, 2021. Embiid sat out this contest due to a bone bruise on his left knee.

Next came November 18, 2021, when Embiid had to miss due to the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols (remember those?!).

Then he didn’t play on March 27, 2023 due to a sore right calf.

Next it was a “balky” left knee on January 27, 2024.

And that brings us up to the present, and the 76ers looming Tuesday night matchup against the Nuggets in Denver. It was recently announced that Embiid has swelling in his left knee and will be missing this game as well.

Injuries have plagued Joel throughout his career, but is there possibly more to the story about why he doesn’t play in Denver? Or has it really just been a series of unfortunate events and bad luck?

Plenty of athletes have complained about the higher elevation in Denver leading to a lack of oxygen during games and making playing there a real challenge. But Embiid has never professed this to be his reasoning.

So what is it then?

Nikola Jokić has won the NBA regular season MVP award in three of the past four seasons. And the only year he didn’t win? That went to Joel Embiid of course in the 2022-2023 season.

Jokić vs Embiid is the only head-to-head matchup between MVPs of the past four seasons, and there’s only two regular season chances to see them face each other every year.

With Embiid bowing out of the Denver matchup five years straight, that only gives viewers one chance a year to see the preeminent big man matchup (unless of course they meet in the Finals one day).

Joel Embiid owes the public — and Nikola Jokić, for that matter — an explanation about why he doesn’t play in Denver, because he’s depriving NBA fans of one of the most exciting superstar matchups in the league.

The post Why does Joel Embiid never play Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets in Denver? appeared first on ClutchPoints.