Kendrick Perkins Trolls Joel Embiid for ‘Ducking That Smoke’ vs. Nikola Jokić, Nuggets

The 76ers star has missed every game in Denver since 2019.

Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid did not suit up for Saturday’s tilt with the Denver Nuggets due to left knee soreness, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

While fans were hoping to see a matchup between former league MVPs in Embiid and Nuggets star Nikola Jokić, instead they’ll have to wait. And it might take a while, because not only do these two teams not see each other very often by virtue of playing in different conferences, but also Embiid in particular has a long history of not missing matchups against the Nuggets on the road.

Embiid has not played a game in Denver since 2019, and ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins has seen enough. On Friday night, Perkins took to television to implore Embiid to play. Coincidentally, Embiid did not suit up for Saturday’s big matchup.

“Joel Embiid, my brother, business has been standing on you lately for the last four or five years,” Perkins began. “You haven’t played in Denver since 2019. You have to show up and give [Jokić] his lick back. Your big a-- better suit up tomorrow. You better suit up and you better stand on business and give Jokić his lick back, damnit.”

Embiid hasn’t played in Denver since 2019!!! Come on now big fella @JoelEmbiid stop ducking that smoke and stand on Business today! Carry the hell on… pic.twitter.com/3dbsgmVby5

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 27, 2024

Perkins re-shared the video of his comments shortly after Embiid was ruled out of Saturday’s game.

It’s almost as if Perkins foretold what was about to happen next. And now with Embiid out of the lineup, his string of mysterious absences in road games against one of the league’s best players continues.