Sixers visit Nuggets without Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid The Denver Nuggets passed one test and now face another, even though their opponent is without its best player.
Denver (50-24) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night thanks to a strong second half. On Monday, Denver will host the Philadelphia 76ers, another top Eastern Conference team.
Philadelphia (49-25) is coming off a 20-point loss at Phoenix on Saturday, its third in the last four games and second in a row. The Sixers are in second place in the Atlantic Division and four games behind Milwaukee for the Eastern Conference’s top seed.
The absence of James Harden, who has been sidelined for three games with a sore Achilles, is one reason Philadelphia is struggling. Harden is averaging 21.4 points per game and leads the NBA in assists per game with 10.8.
Harden is said to be expected to play against the Nuggets, but coach Doc Rivers has said that his point guard’s health will come first.
A subplot of Monday’s down had been Joel Embiid conflicting with Nikola Jokic in a matchup of MVP up-and-comers. Despite this, the 76ers are said to have decided to sit Embiid (calf) out of concern due to the packed schedule.
With 33.3 points per game, Embiid leads the NBA in scoring and had a big game when the teams played in Philadelphia on January 28. In the 126-119 victory, Embiid had 47 points and 18 rebounds.
In contrast, Jokic just missed a season-high of eight assists and is coming off a 31-point, 11-assist performance against the Bucks. Prior to Embiid’s recent play, Jokic appeared to be the favorite for a third straight MVP award. Jokic has won the previous two awards.
The Nuggets’ primary goal is to secure the Western Conference’s top seed, even if Jokic were to win MVP. They led Memphis by 3 1/2 games with eight games remaining on Sunday, and a win over Philadelphia would bring them closer.
Denver has won its last three games after overcoming a four-game losing streak to extend its winning streak to five with a sweep of this short homestand. Coach Michael Malone, on the other hand, does not take anything for granted.
The Nuggets outscored Milwaukee 66-40 in the second half against them. Jamal Murray, thought to be the key to a deep playoff run, scored 26 points, is finding his groove in the final stretch, and he was pleased with the defense of the team.
