(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
After dropping a career-high 70 points against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, the next game to look forward to for reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers was the showdown with Nikola Jokic and the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets on Saturday at Ball Arena.
Last year, a lot was made of Embiid possibly ducking a head-to-head matchup with Jokic, especially on the road in the Mile High City.
This year, Embiid had a chance to prove his doubters and haters wrong by playing against Jokic on the road, but only a few hours before the game, he was ruled out with an injury, which is the fourth straight time he’s failed to play in Denver.
With Embiid not playing against Jokic in Denver yet again, the criticism was bound to follow, with Nuggets head coach Michael Malone not wasting any time to take a shot at the 76ers superstar center, according to Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports.
“I don’t know how you go from being active, available, to out. I’m sure the league will do their due diligence. Because that’s frowned upon,” Malone said.
Michael Malone says he anticipates the league will look into and investigate Joel Embiid not playing tonight: “I don’t know how you go from being active, available, to out. I’m sure the league will do their due diligence. Becasue that’s frowned upon.”
Malone also said he watched…
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) January 28, 2024
If something like this happens once or twice, it’s nothing to get bent out of shape about, but the fact it has happened four times, there’s something to it, as it truly seems like he doesn’t want to play in high elevation against a guy he’s been directly compared to over the last few years.
In the event that the 76ers and Nuggets meet in the NBA Finals, it’ll be interesting to see how things pan out with Embiid and if he truly can’t play in those conditions, especially against a player who can do all that Jokic can do on the basketball floor.
However, a lot has to happen for that matchup to take place, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
The post Michael Malone Calls Out 76ers For Joel Embiid Missing Game appeared first on The Cold Wire.