On Tuesday evening, the Philadelphia 76ers returned to the loss column with a blowout road loss at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. The 76ers were playing without several key players, including big man Joel Embiid, who remained out of the lineup due to injury.
However, Embiid was present on the sidelines at Ball Arena, and after the game, he shared a good moment With fellow Nuggets MVP big man Nikola Jokic.
Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid catch up after the game
- ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 18 March 2026
Embiid and Jokic have long been viewed as the two best centers on the NBA landscape, and fans have been frustrated by the lack of a head-to-head matchup between the two former MVPs. In fact, Embiid hasn't played a game in Denver since the 2019-20 season, having been injured at that time of year every season since then.
Meanwhile, the 76ers recently slipped to ninth place in the Eastern Conference amid the Atlanta Hawks' 10-game winning streak, and it's unclear when Embiid will be ready to return to the court. The 76ers are still dealing with the absence of Paul George due to league suspension, as well as Tyrese Maxey, who is out with a finger injury.
At this point, it's highly unlikely that the 76ers could realistically fall further than tenth place in the Eastern Conference, meaning they would be at worst heading into the play-in tournament. However, in a season that started with so much promise, it is certainly disappointing for Philadelphia fans to see things fall apart due to injuries once again.
The 76ers will next take the court on Thursday evening as they look to get back into the win column against the Sacramento Kings.
