DENVER — Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid was a late scratch from Saturday afternoon's nationally televised showdown with Denver Nuggets star and MVP challenger Nikola Jokic because of left knee soreness.
After going through his typical pregame workout ahead of the game, the team's medical personnel didn't like how the NBA's reigning MVP was moving around, and chose to shut him down for the game, a league source told ESPN.
Embiid was sporting a large wrap on his knee in the locker room before Saturday's game. Embiid missed three games earlier this month with the same issue and appeared to tweak the knee again in Thursday's road loss to the Indiana Pacers.
He wasn't, however, listed on the injury report Saturday. This marks the fourth straight season Embiid has missed playing against Jokic here in Denver, dating back to the two of them beginning their annual battle for the league's top individual honor in the 2020-21 season.