"He can't even jump" - NBA insider reveals why Joel Embiid was ruled out vs Denver Nuggets

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid missed the action against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday as he dealt with a knee injury. Fans were disappointed with his absence as the game was a must-see matchup between him and Nikola Jokic, two of the top candidates in the MVP race.

The narrative around Embiid has changed as he was listed in the injury report 15 minutes before the game. Aside from the sudden change in his injury status, the Cameroonian center has reportedly not played in Denver since November 2019. This puts him in a tricky situation. Missing the game against Jokic made fans think that he was avoiding playing against the two-time MVP.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne sheds new light on the case of Embiid's injury woes. According to her, the absence that caused the reigning league MVP to miss the game wasn't because he was avoiding the matchup against Jokic.

"He heard the pep talk, that's why he went to the team," Shelburne said. "...He said, 'Don't even put me in the injury report. I'm playing in this game.'

"He went out and warmed up, he can't even jump... It was not even his choice... He wanted to play."

His new injury status proves that his knee issue isn't something to be ignored. Embiid has been ruled out for their game against the Portland Trail Blazers tonight, which means his knee injury is serious.

Embiid's MVP case is in jeopardy as the number of absences he can have has lessened. Including tonight's game that the center will miss, the six-time All-Star cannot miss more than five games to be eligible for the MVP or any in-season awards.

You might also be interested in reading this: "MVP chances trickling down by the week" - NBA fans erupt as Joel Embiid misses another game after allegedly ducking Nikola Jokic matchup

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Jokic continues to give Joel Embiid his flowers

Joel Embiid wasn't welcomed by the fans in Denver as he missed the matchup against Jokic. Fans booed the Sixers star and didn't hold back in making him feel unwelcomed. The Nuggets center, though, didn't treat his fellow NBA star the way the home crowd did.

After the Nuggets' 111-105 win, the two-time MVP had some positive words for his rival.

"If you're a basketball fan, or a soccer fan, or an NFL fan, the things that he's doing right now is historic and you need to appreciate that.. Whatever fan you are, I think you need to appreciate what he's doing," Jokic said (via NBA on ESPN).

Jokic isn't joking about Embiid's season, as he's having a stellar campaign. The center is averaging 36.0 points, 11.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 54% from the field.