Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic got a chance to square off on Tuesday night in an exciting regular-season matchup between Embiid’s Philadelphia 76ers and Jokic’s Denver Nuggets. Embiid scored 41 points with 7 rebounds and 10 assists while leading his Sixers to a 126-121 win over Jokic’s Nuggets. Jokic, the defending NBA Finals MVP, had 25 points and 19 rebounds.
Though the two are often pitted against each other by the media and fans, Embiid and Jokic embraced after the game in a display of mutual respect. Embiid also delivered a message while talking into Jokic’s ear.
During an interview with Allie LaForce, Embiid revealed what he told Jokic.
“I just told [Jokic] he’s the best player in the league,” Embiid revealed. “Like I told you earlier, he won the championship. [The Nuggets are] the best team in the league, and he’s the Finals MVP. So I was just telling him keep going, I’ll see you in two weeks, and keep doing your thing. That’s why you’re the best in the league.”
“I just told him he’s the best player in the league.”
Embiid with high praise for the Joker 🤝 pic.twitter.com/DCSOvuqbwU
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 17, 2024
The Sixers and Nuggets are in different conferences and have not met in the Finals, so we haven’t seen a showdown between the two centers in the postseason. But Embiid is now 6-2 against Jokic head-to-head in the regular season.
Embiid unseated Jokic as the league’s MVP last season. He is striving to unseat Jokic as an NBA champion as well.
