Joel Embiid Gets Absolutely Flamed By Fans For Skipping Primetime Game In Denver Against Nikola Jokic For Second Straight Season
At this point, Joel Embiid is clearly dodging playing Nikola Jokic in Denver…
Games between the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers are matchups that fans have always circled on their calendars. How could someone not be excited for a game that included a battle between MVPs in Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid?
"Where's Embiid at?" chants have started at Ball Arena.
Easily picked up by the TV broadcast too 😂 pic.twitter.com/SdPmZKimIR
— Rachel Strand (@MileHighRachel) January 27, 2024
It didn’t take long for the news to spread on social media, as Embiid not appearing in games in Denver has become a regular pattern lately. In fact, the last time fans at Ball Arena saw Embiid play in Denver was in 2019. So needless to say, fans are heavily trolling Embiid for “dodging” Jokic in Denver once again.
According to insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Embiid was ruled out of the game last minute due to “left knee soreness.” The 76ers training staff were monitoring Embiid in warmups, and they apparently saw something they didn’t like.
Within minutes of the game starting, fans at Ball Arena started to loudly chant “Where’s Embiid at?” The chanting was loud enough that even the TV broadcast crew made note of it.
The Nuggets played the 76ers a few weeks ago. The Sixers had Embiid and a majority of their starters, and they were able to edge out the Nuggets 126-121. This was scheduled to be a fun rematch in Denver prior to Embiid backing out last minute. Now the only chance fans will get at seeing a rematch is if the two teams meet up in the NBA Finals.
As the two top candidates for MVP, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid have carried over their “rivalry” into this season and tonight was supposed to be when they collided in a potential game-of-the-year contender. They played last week in Philadelphia and Embiid had a great game… but apparently, that’s all we’re gonna get this season. Sadly, Joel was a late scratch from the contest with an apparent “knee soreness” according to the team. Needless to say, fans weren’t buying the story, especially since Joel was not listed on the injury report.
The game, which was featured on ABC as part of “Rivals Week,” was absolutely ruined by Embiid’s absence, especially since the 76ers were already playing with a short-handed roster. Fans might have been more forgiving of Embiid if it was a one-time occasion, but he’s made a routine out of sitting regular-season games and he’s made it an especially common trend to skip matches against his biggest “rival,” Nikola Jokic. Embiid hasn’t played in Denver since 2019.
NBA Fans Troll The 76es Star
By all accounts, Joel Embiid was healthy enough to play in the game and it was only a “preventative” measure that he didn’t bother to suit up. No matter what reason Embiid or the team comes up with, however, it’s not going to stop the accusations of Embiid intentionally avoiding the Nuggets. Joel, who said himself that he’s angling to be the best, isn’t doing himself any favors by taking a night off during one of the featured games of the season. And the 76ers aren’t doing themselves any favors either by essentially throwing a game against a top-tier opponent.
Unsurprisingly, the fans had a field day with the news of Embiid’s absence, and many of them tuned against the reigning MVP.
Even the fans in the arena had their fun, chanting “where’s Embiid at” right before the opening tip and going viral for their taunt of the 76ers star.
Joel Embiid will likely come up with an alternate excuse for missing this game, but it’s starting to look more and more like he’s avoiding this particular matchup, even if the missed games streak against Denver is just a coincidence.
Whether you love or hate Joel Embiid, it’s hard to argue that the criticism isn’t justified right now. For a guy who is so vocal about chasing greatness and being the best, it’s strange that he seemingly has no problem taking a night off for a game against his top opponent and biggest basketball “rival.”
Are 76ers Making A Mistake?
On one hand, there’s no doubt that player health and safety should be an important point to consider throughout the season. For a guy like Joel Embiid especially, it’s understandable to exercise caution about his body and workload on the court. But the 76ers aren’t a team that has proven anything in the playoffs and they have yet to show that they know how to win when it counts.
So for a team with so much still to prove, it might be better to have your players participate in as many games as possible to build up chemistry, and cohesion, and get some reps in against some of the game’s top teams (who they might see in the playoffs). Instead, the 76ers continue to employ questionable strategies that have not been very effective to this point.
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