Is Joel Embiid playing tonight? Latest injury update for 76ers vs. Nuggets

Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic each have a chance to make a final argument for MVP in tonight’s head-to-head matchup. Will injuries get in the way?

Any matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets carries the added weight of the individual matchup between Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. They finished first and second in MVP voting the past two years, with Jokic in the top spot both times, and they appear to be headed for a similar logjam this year as well.

A late-season, head-to-head matchup could give either the momentum to hold off the other, as well as Giannis Antetokounmpo but injuries are a complicating factor.

Will Joel Embiid be available for the matchup with Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets?

Embiid was listed as questionable in the NBA’s injury report first this morning, with calf tightness. However, Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne have reported that the 76ers made the decision to hold Embiid out of tonight’s game after a morning workout.

However, James Harden will play tonight, a huge benefit for the 76ers who are 2.5 games behind the Boston Celtics for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Embiid has had the upper hand in their seven career regular-season matchups, and by a fairly significant margin. He’s won five of their previous seven meetings, averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.1 blocks. Jokic has put up big numbers as well — 21.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks but the wins and losses are what most will remember.

Embiid recently told media that he didn’t care about the MVP, saying, “I don’t care. If I win, good. If I don’t, it’s whatever. That’s not where my focus is.” Given that he’s willingly passing up this chance to potentially clinch the award, we’ll have to take him at his word.

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