NUGGETS REACTION

Nikola Jokic and Nuggets headbutt 76ers, stay red hot

Jan 21, 2025, 10:45 PM | Updated: Jan 22, 2025, 1:12 pm

What was billed as rivalry week did not live up as the Nikola Jokic-led Denver Nuggets blew the doors off the shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers 144-109 as the Mile High City crew has now won 11 of their last 14 games all of which have been by more than double digits.

Two of those three losses came on nights Jokic sat with injuries or illnesses as he picked up his fourth straight triple-double on Tuesday. The three-time MVP’s 27 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists powered the Nuggets to 117 points at the end of the third quarter. In doing so, Jokic recorded his seventh streak of four consecutive triple-doubles, a mark only bested by current teammate Russell Westbrook who has achieved the feat 11 times. Against Philly, Westbrook provided another all-around performance from the starting lineup, scoring 11 points, tallying nine assists and snagging seven rebounds. While the Nuggets may soon have a squeeze in the starting five, any candidate to goto the bench is hard to find, with Christian Braun also scored 20 points.

The Nuggets (26-16) have been much better off the bench in recent nights, with Aaron Gordon rejoining the floor as the sub after his calf injury. Tuesday was AG’s fifth game back and he hasn’t played more than 22 minutes in a game yet, thanks in part to the blowouts. But coming off the bench makes it easier for him to fit into the rotation with such a limitation and it’s also opened up the team’s second wave. Julian Strawther benefited on this night, pouring in 23 points on five made threes while being a team-best plus-21 in his 26 minutes. Gordon made good use of his time too, scoring 19 on just one missed shot.

“Before Aaron’s first game in Dallas, I talked to him about what his minutes restriction was going to be that night, as well as what would be moving forward, just to give him an idea, so he could wrap his head around that,” Michael Malone said. “The first thing he said to me was, ‘coach, we’re playing really well.’ He goes, ‘if you want to bring me off the bench, even when I’m healthy, bring me off the bench.’ And I’m not saying I’m going to do that, but I want everybody to know who Aaron Gordon is who is selfless to a T… He’s just happy we’re winning. Aaron Gordon is happy that we’re winning. And if it’s best for us to bring him off the bench, then we’ll do that. If it’s best for us to start Aaron Gordon, then we’ll do that. We’ll make that decision when we come to that point. But I just want everybody to know how special the person Aaron Gordon is, and how he views this, not about him, but about what’s best for the team. And I love that about him.”

With AG in and the 76ers short, the Nuggets out-rebounded their foes 51-25, while the home team connected on 16-of-31 shooting. Simply said, the Nuggets are rolling and they easily handled a scuffling 76ers crew.

“That’s what you love about Aaron, just the versatility and both ends of the floor,” Malone said. “He’s not close to being back to being cleared for full minutes. So we still have time to figure out what is best for our team. moving forward. But whether Aaron’s out there with starters with a bench unit. I think good things are going to happen.”

Of course, the hope for many was that Tuesday be a showdown of the league’s last two MVP winners but because Joel Embiid is dealing with a knee injury, that didn’t happen. Embiid last played in the Mile High City on Nov. 8, 2019. On that night, Nikola Jokic hit a game-winner capping a 21-point fourth-quarter Nuggets comeback while Embiid fouled out. That contest is one of just two times Embiid has played in Denver since being drafted way back in 2014. This year’s battle was much less anticipated because Embiid’s season has been a disaster, playing in just 13 of Philadelphia’s 42 games so far. He’s been dealing with a left foot sprain this month and now the knee issue, which will be re-evaluated soon according to the 76ers’ statement Friday. While the 76ers made a huge splash this summer in signing Paul George to pair with the big fella, the team is a lousy 15-27. He’s the latest All-Star to join forces with Embiid in Philly, all of which have failed.

Things have really taken a turn in the Embiid-in-Denver saga since 2023. That year a calf injury popped up out of nowhere for just that night, keeping Embiid from playing in Denver, the lone game he missed over a stretch of 18. It came on the heels of the Philly player attempting a whiney diss track published in The Athletic, where he laid out his case for MVP and tried to dunk on Jokic. The crowd buzzed by handing out flyers for a missing person, all the while the center sat in the Ball Arena tunnels. He won that MVP despite the dodge.

Last season Embiid played Jokic in Philly two weeks before the Denver date, vowing to see him in the Mile High City. When the time came, the center was a full go, not even being listed on the 76ers injury report. Until moments before the game when the 76ers announced that a pregame knee injury prompted the team’s medical staff to hold him out. This time the patrons chanted a question, “Where’s Embiid at?” He responded by coming out of the locker room and onto the bench in street clothes with minutes left in the game. Egging on fans, who had paid good money for the matinee, Embiid’s appearance sparked a game-winning run from the Nuggets. After the contest, Michael Malone questioned if the 76ers violated the NBA’s Player Participation Policy. The NBA ruled that they did, docking the franchise a few days later.

The frustrating part is that this whole time Embiid has shown out in games on his home court where Jokic has always showed up—but the Serbian hasn’t gotten the chance to respond at his home. While both were on the road, they met in the Olympics this summer for a classic game where Embiid’s stacked American team was almost shockingly upset in the medal round by a huge Jokic game. But Embiid, who always seems to have the better teammates, was bailed out by herculean efforts from Steph Curry and LeBron James.

But all of this is kinda in the past, the chants were quiet on Tuesday, Embiid wasn’t in the barn and the fans seemed more focused on the red-hot Nuggets whose MVP is pulling midgame tricks than the fading 76ers. All the while, the Nuggets got their X-factor back in Gordon and most certainly the team has its championship-level groove back.

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