Disgusting Behavior: Nuggets fans booed an injured Joel Embiid in Denver, continue to create fake drama between him and Jokic

The Denver Nuggets beat the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers 124-96 on Tuesday night and as expected, it was never close. Christian Braun had 22 points, Nikola Jokic finished with 14 assists despite picking up two quick fouls and a technical in the first quarter, and the Nuggets jumped out to a 16-point lead after one and never looked back.

Denver held Philadelphia to 40 points in the first half, the fewest they have allowed all season, and the final margin was generous.

The Sixers played without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Paul George. This is not news at this point. It is just what the roster looks like right now and a blowout loss on the road against a good Denver team is not surprising or alarming in that context.

What was stupid was the crowd booing Embiid when he walked to the bench in the third quarter.

Denver Nuggets Fans are OBSESSED with Joel Embiid.

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Nuggets fans have been obsessed with the fact that Embiid has not played in Denver since November 2019 and the media spent all of yesterday running with the narrative that he was somehow ducking Jokic, that he was scared and the streak was intentional.

Obviously, it is based on absolutely nothing and it has always been based on absolutely nothing. Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic are actually friends. They got together after the game on Tuesday night. These are two guys who genuinely respect each other and have for years.

Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid Last Night:

Nikola Jokic & Joel Embiid —

Nothing but respect. ✊ 🤝

(via @NBAonNBC)

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— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 18, 2026

Nuggets Fans Lie, The Joel Embiid Numbers Don’t

In eight career games against Jokic, Embiid has averaged 27.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. That is not the stat line of a guy who is scared of anyone.

The media will not stop trying to manufacture a rivalry narrative between these two that the players themselves do not feel the need to participate in. Joel Embiid is injured. He has missed games in Denver for seven straight seasons. Fine. Whatever.

The idea that this is some kind of calculated avoidance is so stupid it barely deserves a response and yet here we are writing about it because the takes were everywhere yesterday.

Literally obsessed with Joel Embiid…

“WHERE’S EMBIID AT?”

Joel Embiid has not played a game in Denver since 2019
pic.twitter.com/b2N6dWwCRN

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 22, 2025

Nuggets fans should know better and apparently they do not. On second thought, this has always been the narrative around Embiid and none of it is new. People have been trying to discredit him for years and it never stops being exhausting.

Jokic had eight points on 4-of-7 shooting but was at ten assists in under twelve minutes before the foul trouble slowed him down. Cameron Johnson added 18 and Jamal Murray had 12 after a brutal 1-for-14 shooting performance at the Lakers on Saturday.

Murray had missed his final 13 shots before fouling out in overtime against LA. He bounced back fine against a shorthanded Sixers team. Cameron Payne led Philadelphia with whatever he had and it was not enough and nobody should have expected it to be.

The Sixers are still fighting for playoff positioning. The road trip continues.

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