Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers' star center, has been ruled out for the upcoming road trip following increased swelling in his left knee after Thursday's workout. This setback means Embiid will not face the Denver Nuggets for the fifth consecutive season. The 76ers reported he will be re-evaluated in 7 to 10 days. This season has been challenging for Embiid, who has already missed 26 games due to various injuries, including a recent left foot sprain.

The last time Embiid played in Denver was on November 8, 2019, and since then, he has been in a tight MVP race with Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who has won the award twice. This ongoing rivalry has intensified frustrations among Nuggets fans regarding Embiid's repeated absences during annual matchups.