NBA Fans Lament Joel Embiid Sitting vs. Nikola Jokić, Nuggets with Knee Injury

It had all of the makings of an epic battle.

Joel Embiid, the reigning MVP, taking the court against Nikola Jokić, last year's runner-up and a two-time MVP himself, as the Philadelphia 76ers try to make a statement against the Denver Nuggets.

The team did so on January 16 when it beat Denver 126-121. Embiid recorded 41 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in that matchup, and a similar performance away from home would have further cemented his status as the NBA's MVP frontrunner.

It was set to be the first time Embiid played in Denver since 2019.

But minutes before tipoff, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Embiid—who was not listed on the Sixers' injury report—had been ruled out after going through pre-game warmups:

Embiid was inactive due to left knee soreness, something that was identified by the Sixers training staff during his warm-up routine. He joined Tyrese Maxey (ankle) and Tobias Harris (illness) on the bench. The Sixers were also without De'Anthony Melton (back) and Robert Covington (knee).

When available, Embiid has taken his play up a notch from last year's MVP campaign. He is currently averaging 36.0 points, 11.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists across 33 appearances this season. He has helped lead Philadelphia to a 29-14 start to the season and the team looks like a contender to compete for an NBA title.

Once Embiid was ruled out, fans took to social media to express frustration and sadness that they wouldn't get to see Embiid and Jokić go head-to-head for the second time this season:

It was Embiid's 11th missed game of the season, and that is more significant this year than in previous seasons. In order to qualify for end-of-season awards, a player must play at least 65 games. With Embiid already missing 11, he only has six games left that he can miss or he will become ineligible for MVP.

While he may not personally lend too much focus to the individual honors, it's at least something to watch for. The 76ers have 38 games remaining in the regular season.