Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers’ star, was a late scratch against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday after initially not being included on the injury report. This was quite disappointing, as fans had been looking forward to the battle between Embiid and Nikola Jokic.

After the game, Jokic was asked about Embiid and stated, “If you’re a basketball, soccer, or NFL fan, what he’s doing right now is historic, and we need to recognize that… Whether you’re a Denver fan or not, I believe you should respect what he’s doing.”

Despite the constant media disputes over the two players, Jokic and Embiid have a high level of mutual respect. Jokic and Embiid are once again neck and neck in the MVP race, and they are undoubtedly the finest players in basketball, but don’t get caught up in the discussions.

While it is disappointing that Embiid did not play in this game, fans did get to see an entertaining duel between him and Jokic not long ago. It would have been fantastic to watch Embiid meet Jokic in Denver, but perhaps these two teams will face off in the NBA Finals.

The Nuggets hope to defend their crown this season, while Philadelphia hopes to break through and reach the level Denver achieved last June.