Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid went head-to-head to settle the battle between the two to see which player is deserving of MVP honors. While Embiid won the head-to-head scoring battle, Jokic had a near triple-double and led his team to a win, being the leader in every statistical category.
Jokic also put on quite a show, scoring a ridiculous off-balance mid-range that somehow went in. However, the play that got everyone gasping was a no-look bounce pass to Jeff Green who got a wide-open dunk as a result.
NIKOLA JOKIC…What a pass. 🔥
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 15, 2022
The pass was so sensational that even some of the other greats in the league today took notice, most notably Kevin Durant. KD is coming off a 50-point performance in his last outing against the New York Knicks but was keenly watching conference rival Philadelphia in action against Jokic’s Nuggets.
Aye jokic. That was a DIME. pic.twitter.com/KuxwwPYeAv
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) March 15, 2022
Jokic has established himself as one of the greatest passing big-men of all time, with many arguing he might be the greatest to do it at that size. However, Jokic’s passing wasn’t the only thing that unlocked the keys to victory for the Nuggets. He was engaged defensively and ended the game with 2 steals and 2 blocks.
Guarding Embiid is a challenge for anyone, so his 34-point game is not a surprise. After all, he is atop the MVP race alongside Jokic, something even Jokic acknowledged prior to the game. This game helps Jokic’s case more considering the Nuggets were still missing Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., while the 76ers were fielding a healthy squad including James Harden.
The Nuggets were greatly aided by performances from Will Barton and Na’Shon ‘Bones’ Hyland, who each scored 20 points to help their team take the win. Philly took an early 15-point lead, but Denver broke it down for a much-needed win to keep the Minnesota Timberwolves behind for the 6th seed in the West.
