“You need to respect what he’s doing,” Nikola Jokic comes to rival Joel Embiid’s defense as fans accuse 76ers star of ‘ducking’ Nuggets challenge

The rivalry between Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid is a result of their dominance in the NBA over the last 3 years.

“You need to respect what he’s doing,” Nikola Jokic comes to rival Joel Embiid’s defense as fans accuse 76ers star of ‘ducking’ Nuggets challenge

Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic (Via The Athletic)

It was an important statement win for the Denver Nuggets and a big message to their fans that they are still defending the title. An even bigger message was conveyed to the community by Denver’s very own Nikola Jokic. And it was about more than the game, bringing everyone’s attention to Joel Embiid, one of his fan-made rivals, who he believes must be respected.

Denver Nuggets hosted Philadelphia 76ers at Ball Arena, and the home side didn’t disappoint at all with a dominating 111-105 win. And while the highlight of the game was the win itself, attention was shifted towards Nikola Jokic, who used the postgame interview to talk about Joel Embiid.

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Jokic said:

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If you're a basketball, soccer, horse racing fan, Denver Nuggets fan, Philadelphia fan, whoever, enemies, whatever, I think you need to respect what he's doing. He's putting history in front of our eyes and he's making it look so easy.

Despite the rivalry that has emerged between the two due to their fan bases, Jokic was crystal clear that the 76ers superstar deserved respect. Embiid, who missed their meet-up last night, was a huge blow for his team. As for Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, their title defense is well and truly on.

Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic’s “rivalry”

Over the past few years, there have been two forces of nature running the show in the NBA, them being none other than Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. The MVPs of the last 3 seasons (Nikola Jokic-2 and Joel Embiid-1) their face-off is less than a match, and more of a rivalry, at least for fans.

Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic (Via Sports Illustrated)
Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. (Via Sports Illustrated)

While Jokic edges in terms of team achievements with 1 NBA Championship and 2 MVPs, Embiid has just 1 MVP and no rings. The rivalry goes beyond the two fan bases and there is always a level of competition created between the two.

And while both 76ers and Nuggets are doing well in their respective conferences, the two continue to be the powerhouses of their teams. How long will their dominance be visible? It’s an answer only time will tell. For now, the NBA is in safe hands with the two in the process of being bonafide legends of the game. Due to that, Embiid’s absence in the matchup was sorely felt by everyone involved.

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