76ers vs. Nuggets: Joel Embiid Could Miss Battle Against Jokic

The battle between MVP candidates Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic might not have a sequel this season. According to the Philadelphia 76ers’ injury report, Embiid is currently questionable with calf tightness.

Lately, calf tightness has bothered Embiid to the point that he missed the entire second half of last Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls.

The good news for the Sixers is that Embiid was cleared for action in the back-to-back set of matchups against the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns over the weekend despite the big man being listed as questionable.

However, that isn’t a sure sign he’ll be cleared for action on Monday night, as Embiid’s recent performance displayed a sign of fatigue.

Doc Rivers described Embiid’s showing against the Suns as “sluggish,” claiming that Embiid had a “human” night by the big man’s standards. The six-time All-Star was honest with himself as well, claiming that a night off would be beneficial as he’s focused on making it to the playoffs healthy and refreshed.

Monday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets could be a good opportunity for Embiid to get rest. Obviously, Embiid’s absence would disappoint those who are heavily focused on the MVP debate as Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic remain favorites, but there are more important things than a one-on-one battle between players that are out-of-conference opponents.

In all reality, Embiid doesn’t have much to prove in a battle against Jokic. Not only did the Sixers’ center dominate in the first matchup by scoring 47 points while also producing 18 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks in a seven-point win, but a one-versus-one battle won’t dictate the results of the personal accolade that is MVP.

If Embiid is focused solely on getting to the playoffs healthy and wants to avoid fatigue, then Monday night should be a game he considers taking off, especially since he admitted he was sluggish on Saturday. While the Sixers are leaving the door open for him to play, it seems there’s a 50/50 shot of that happening right now.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.