Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is probable to play against the Philadelphia 76ers, after heading to the locker room in the Nuggets’ previous game on Thursday, per the NBA’s injury report. Jokic returned to the game after getting poked in the eye, but he was vocal in explaining the pain he went through. Following the Nuggets’ loss to the Knicks, he spoke with the media and said his eye felt worse as the night went on. It was visibly aggravated, so the availability of Jokic on Saturday was initially questionable.

A classic Jokic versus Joel Embiid showdown is now on the horizon. The two previous NBA MVPs will face off in Denver on Saturday afternoon. This duel has turned into one of the best rivalries in the NBA, bringing back a taste of old-school basketball where the ball revolves around the center position. Two superstars who have incredible versatility and always seem to put on a show in different aspects of the game.

The injury shouldn’t deter Jokic as he’s received treatment over the past few days, but if he were to reaggravate it, he would likely be sidelined. Denver and Philly are two teams at the top of their respective conferences, fighting for a higher seed. While it’s still early in the season, a game like this is great for a team’s confidence and potentially provides a playoff atmosphere with two of the most exciting teams in the league.

Jokic and Embiid are bound to make this a must-watch game. Jokic’s injury should be monitored, but as of right now, he’s probable to play against the 76ers and Embiid.

Further Reading:

Tyrese Maxey Lands on 76ers’ Injury Report vs. Nuggets

Coming off of their first loss in a couple of weeks, the Philadelphia 76ers are set to take the floor against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night. Lately, the Sixers have missed a handful of key players, and the situation won’t be much different on Saturday as several rotational pieces have already been ruled out.

While Tyrese Maxey has been healthy and available lately, the star guard is one of the newest additions to the Sixers’ injury report ahead of the matchup against the Nuggets.

MAXEY’S INJURY STATUS

After tweaking his ankle this week, Maxey has been diagnosed with an ankle sprain on his left side.

As a result, the young guard has been downgraded to questionable against Denver. This season, Maxey finds himself playing as the Sixers’ primary ball-handler. With James Harden out of the picture after spending the last season and a half playing alongside Maxey, who served as a two-guard, the former 21st overall pick has stepped up and is putting together a career year. Currently, Maxey leads the NBA in minutes per game, with 37 per night. During his time on the court, he’s averaged 26 points and seven assists while shooting 49 percent from the field and 37 percent from three.

This season, Maxey has just one absence, which occurred on December 1 against the Boston Celtics. At the time, Maxey was downgraded to questionable with an illness. Although he went through pregame warmups with the intention of possibly playing, he was ruled out for the first time in 18 games.

Since then, the potential first-time All-Star has appeared in 24-straight games for the Sixers. The team hopes to have him for his 43rd appearance on Saturday when they face the defending champions.