Joel Embiid has been absolutely incredible this season. The reigning NBA MVP is averaging 36.0 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game on 53.9% shooting from the field, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to the third seed of the Eastern Conference.
Embiid is on pace to have the highest point-per-minute output in NBA history, averaging more points than minutes played this season. If he’s able to keep this feat up for the rest of the season, he’d become the second player after Wilt Chamberlain to achieve such feat.
However, there’s one thing people have been criticizing, and that is his away game availability. While almost playing in every game in the city of brotherly love, the All-Star has missed 40% of his team’s road games.
Especially games in Denver seem to not stand on Embiid’s agenda, as he missed said game for a fourth consecutive season – this time as a late scratch.
Minutes before tipoff, the Sixers cut their star center, after he had discomfort in his balky left knee during warmups.
With Embiid, who last played a game in Denver in 2019, out, the Nuggets’ Ball Arena crowd broke out into “Where’s Embiid?” chants as the Nuggets opened their game with a 13-4 run.
“Where’s Embiid at?” chant breaks out at Ball Arena. pic.twitter.com/NazzaFkkNv
— Mike Singer (@msinger) January 27, 2024
It was Embiid’s 11th game of the 2023-24 that he has missed, leaving him with only six more to sit out and still remain eligible for the league’s awards and All-NBA Teams.
