There was no shortage of disappointment when it was revealed that Joel Embiid would miss the Philadelphia 76ers’ game against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Although it meant that fans would not see Embiid vs. Jokić again, it also seems to have confused Denver coach Michael Malone.
Embiid had participated in six games for Philadelphia prior, including a win over the Nuggets in which he scored 41 points, dished out 10 assists, and pulled down seven rebounds. Following the announcement, Malone talked about the subject and expressed his hope that the league will investigate Embiid’s absence.
“I’m curious how you move from being available and involved to being alone. The league will undoubtedly conduct adequate research. because that is not acceptable. Following the game, Malone informed reporters. “And in certain cases this season, we have spoken with the league, and they have informed us that there will be an investigation should a player become inactive.”
Malone continued by saying that he witnessed Embiid get injured during the previous game.
Joel undoubtedly suffered a legitimate knee injury during the Indiana game. Malone added, “We saw the game, so I’m sure he’s hurt.
The Nuggets coach made a series of cryptic remarks, stating that he believed his team suffered a “letdown” when they learned of Embiid’s injury right before tip-off.
It will be interesting to watch if Malone’s suspicions about the possibility of a probe materialize. In any case, the Nuggets prevailed 111-105 thanks to a balanced offensive performance that saw four players score 18 or more points. With 26 points, 16 rebounds, and seven assists, Jokić took the lead.