Nikola Jokic Gives Joel Embiid His Flowers After Nuggets Fans Relentlessly Booed 76ers Star
It would have been very easy for Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić to join in on Nuggets fans' fun Saturday evening.
After all, Denver's 111–105 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers was basically one long laugh at 76ers center Joel Embiid's expense. As Embiid—who hasn't played against the Nuggets in their building since 2019—sat out with knee soreness, Denver fans rained jeers upon the reigning MVP.
In a postgame interview, however, Jokić demonstrated admirable big-man solidarity—saluting Embiid after posting 26 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists.
"I just asked him how he is," Jokić said on the ABC broadcast. "If you're a basketball fan, or a soccer fan, or an NFL fan—the things that he's doing right now, they're historic. You need to appreciate that."
Embiid has been at the vanguard of a historic offensive month in basketball. On Monday, he dropped 70 points in Philadelphia's 133-123 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
While the regular-season series between the two superstars is over, it’s not out of the question that Embiid and Jokić may one day meet in the NBA Finals.
