Joel Embiid stole the show in the Philadelphia 76ers’ latest home clash against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. The reigning MVP put up 41 points against the reigning NBA champions to lead the franchise to their 26th win of the season. Interestingly, in the process, Embiid’s endeavors also fulfilled the 15-week-long demand of Deion Sanders.
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Arguably the two best big men in the league collided in the Wells Fargo Center as Jokic a his best to lead his team to an away victory. With 25 points alongside a monster 19 rebounds, and 3 assists, the Serbian did all that he possibly could on both ends of the floor during his visit to the city of brotherly love. Yet, his 35th double-double of the campaign fell short as the Nuggets fell to the 76ers, with the final score at 121-126.
A major reason behind it was the marvelous display of Embiid as the 7ft center facilitated the plays while scoring at will. Registering 41 points along with 10 assists while rebounding 7 times, the 29-year-old made the headlines. He went 13/22 from the field and 3/6 from behind the arc to showcase his basketball prowess while leading the 76ers to a triumph.
Excitingly, it fulfilled the demand of Sanders as the head of the Colorado Buffaloes received what he had wished for. 15 weeks ago, the 76ers camp had paid a visit to the state while preparing for the 2023/24 regular season. During that time, Coach Prime expressed his desire to witness a thrilling matchup between The Process and The Joker.
“Don’t sell me the game like this is what I’m going to get. But, when I turn on the TV I don’t get that. I don’t like that. Give me that! Give me Embiid versus the Joker. I wanna see [Joel] Embiid vs the Joker! Alright, I wanna see that!” he declared on that occasion.
The NCAA Divison One head coach had to wait for nearly four months but his desire eventually turned into a reality. The two leading MVP candidates from the previous season finally went up against each other, giving rise to a basketball spectacle. Due to the individual brilliance of the All-Stars, the excitement of the match reached an unexpected level, only adding more volume to Sanders’ demand.
A glimpse into Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid’s rivalry
Both the centers entered the NBA in 2014 but at opposite stages of the draft. The 76ers selected Embiid as a top prospect as their first-round third-overall pick, giving him quite the start to his NBA journey. The Nuggets however picked Jokic as the second-round 41st overall pick, limiting the expectations around the 6ft 11″ European.
Over the years, the development of both of them has been remarkable as they have become the franchise faces. While the Embiid lived up to the expectations, Jokic far exceeded them in recent times. With 3 MVPs and 11 All-Stars shared between them, these two have become leading figures in the NBA with time.
Thus, their matchups often pave the way for a memorable clash with the 76ers superstar maintaining an upper hand till now. Following the recent win in their first encounter in nearly a year, he is now 6-2 against the 2023 Finals MVP. Averaging, 27.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists in his eight games against Jokic, Embiid often has got the last laugh.
Despite that, the international center has won the coveted championship which still eludes the Cameroon-born. This always adds another layer to their rivalry with Embiid often failing to maintain his dominance in the post-season. This time around, things have looked different as the 76ers center holds the upper hand in the 2024 MVP race while registering arguably the best season of his career. Yet, the pressure of the playoff remains as he aims to rewrite his fate.
