Joel Embiid once again is denying NBA fans a marquee matchup.
The reigning NBA MVP skipped the Philadelphia 76ers’ game Saturday against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
This is the fourth straight year Embiid has missed the Sixers’ game in Denver.
Philadelphia scratched Embiid shortly before tipoff with what was called discomfort in his left knee during warmups.
Embiid has now not appeared in a game in Denver since Nov. 8, 2019.
That led Nuggets fans to chant “Where’s Embiid at?” as Denver, the defending NBA champions, opened the game with a 13-4 run.
Last season, Nuggets fans mocked Embiid with “Missing Person” signs in the stands at Ball Arena after he sat out the Sixers’ game in Denver with a sore calf, leading to accusations he was ducking Jokic.
At least one fan was seen doing the same on Saturday.
His last four matchups with Jokic were in Philadelphia, including a 126-121 Sixers win on Jan. 16 in which Embiid had 41 points and 10 assists to Jokic’s 25 points and 19 rebounds in a matchup of the last two NBA MVPs.
Embiid has missed 11 games this season and can only miss six more the rest of the way to remain eligible for repeating as MVP.
The last person to win back-to-back MVPs was Jokic, whose quest for a three-peat was denied last year by Embiid.
Last season, the Sixers’ All-Star paced the NBA with 33.1 points per game.
This year, Embiid has taken his game to another level, leading the NBA in scoring with 36.0 points per game.
That includes his historic 70-point game Monday against the Spurs.
The Sixers will surely miss Embiid, as they are also playing without guard Tyrese Maxey (sprained left ankle), forward Tobias Harris (illness) and center Mo Bamba (inflamed right knee).
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