Joel Embiid Leads 76ers to Win Over Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets
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The Philadelphia 76ers were back on the floor for an afternoon matchup in South Philly on Saturday. Coming off of a tight win against the Brooklyn Nets, the Sixers faced the Denver Nuggets for their second matchup of the NBA’s Rivalry Week.
With the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic in town, all eyes were on the potential matchup of Jokic against the Most Valuable Player runner-up, Joel Embiid.
Saturday’s game marked the first matchup between the Sixers and the Nuggets this season. With Embiid getting cleared for action after being listed as questionable due to foot soreness, the seventh battle between Embiid and Jokic ensued.
Quarter Breakdown
1st Quarter
Joel Embiid’s battle against the MVP didn’t disappoint to start the game. In the opening minutes, Embiid converted an And-1, followed by another layup in transition. Then on the next offensive possession, the big man hit on one of his signature mid-range jumpers.
Within the first two minutes, Embiid accounted for all six of the 76ers’ first-quarter points. While the Sixers were running their offense solely through Embiid, the Nuggets found success from all over their roster.
The Sixers subbed out Embiid earlier than usual, replacing him with Montrezl Harrell for two minutes before bringing the star big man back into the mix as the Sixers slipped into a ten-point deficit.
However, Denver remained consistent and led by as many as 12 points late in the first quarter. With Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. scoring nine points apiece, along with Aaron Gordon producing seven points, the Nuggets were off to a 38-29 lead over the Sixers through one quarter.
2nd Quarter
The Sixers got off to an ideal start in the second quarter as they looked to eat into the double-digit deficit. With two quick threes from Georges Niang and Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia started off on a hot note. However, a turnover in transition led to some frustration during a timeout within the first couple of minutes.
Suddenly, the Sixers’ early momentum disappeared. Denver’s big man Jokic took advantage. In the nine minutes they spent on the court during the second quarter, the two-time MVP knocked down five of his seven shots and hit on a shot from beyond the arc. He led the Nuggets in the quarter with 11 points.
Outside of James Harden and Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers struggled from the field as an offensive unit in the second quarter. Draining just 37 percent of their 27 shots, the Sixers found themselves outscored 35-29. Going into halftime, the Sixers trailed by 15 points.
3rd Quarter
The Sixers didn’t have any wiggle room for mistakes to start the second half. On defense, they forced the Nuggets into two early turnovers. Offensively, they took advantage of Denver’s early struggles by putting together a 15-4 run within the first three minutes. As a result, the once double-digit lead for Denver was down to four.
After a quick start, the Sixers started running into some adversity, though, which caused frustration. In the final few minutes of the quarter, PJ Tucker picked up a technical foul after arguing with a call against him. On the Sixers’ next offensive possession, Tyrese Maxey stepped out of bounds before driving, causing a turnover.
After Denver converted a basket on the next play, the Sixers called a timeout. During the quick break, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers picked up a technical foul. Not long after, the Sixers then picked up a team technical foul. While it looked like everything was beginning to fall apart for Philly, Georges Niang gave them life.
With back-to-back threes, Niang got the game back within single digits. Then Embiid was able to convert an And-1 with 25 seconds left in the quarter to bring the game within six points. Seconds later, Joel Embiid baited a defender to foul him well beyond the arc to pick up three free throws within the final seconds. After converting on all three shots, the Sixers got the game within three points before going into the final quarter.
4th Quarter
After causing a momentum shift in their favor during the final stretch of the third quarter, the Sixers looked to find similar success to potentially form a comeback in crunch time. Without Jokic on the floor for Denver, the Sixers offered Embiid a rest.
In the first few minutes, both the Sixers and the Nuggets struggled, scoring seven points apiece. It wouldn’t be long before the Sixers brought Embiid back out onto the floor to change the tone of the game. Off the rip, Embiid made a significant impact offensively and defensively.
Within minutes, the Sixers tied the game up. And with a 12-4 run on offense, the Sixers established a five-point lead with a little under five minutes to go in the game. Embiid was responsible for nine of those points, which he collected in four minutes. To no surprise, Embiid was showered with MVP chants going into a Nuggets timeout.
From that point on, the Sixers locked in on both ends of the floor. While the Nuggets kept the game tight, the Sixers forced a couple of key turnovers and took advantage on the other end of the floor.
It might’ve been Denver’s game for a majority of the matchup, but the Sixers’ crunch time run shifted the narrative. Embiid, who was a man on a mission, finished the game with 47 points. The Sixers put the Nuggets away with a 126-119 win. Saturday's victory marks the seventh straight for the Sixers.
