76ers vs. Nuggets: Play-by-play, highlights and reactions

Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
Bucks, without Giannis, hold serve in Detroit.
Celtics at Washington Tuesday
Bucks at Indiana Wednesday
Celtics at Bucks Thursday
NBA EAST
1. Milwaukee 54-21 —
2. BOSTON 52-23 2
3. Philadelphia 49-25 4 1/2*
4. Cleveland 48-28 6 1/2
* At Denver later – 9:27 PM

Philadelphia 76ers @sixers
nothing but net. 🪣
@SociosUSA pic.twitter.com/POeH5InctB – 9:27 PM

Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Also, the Sixers are in the same position against the Sacramento Kings on the road, last game of that road trip, and they won that contest. Let Maxey cook. #Sixers – 9:12 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Joel Embiid ducking Nikola Jokic
James Harden ducking Christian Braun. – 9:08 PM

Noah Levick @NoahLevick
Dewayne Dedmon gets his first start of the season tonight with Joel Embiid (right calf tightness) out.
De’Anthony Melton will start again in place of James Harden (left Achilles soreness). – 9:08 PM

Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Sixers confirm James Harden is out tonight in Denver. And without Embiid, Dewayne Dedmon will start tonight at center. – 9:06 PM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
#Sixers starters vs. Denver Nuggets
Harden – Left Achilles Soreness – Out
PHI starters:
Harris
Tucker
Dedmon
Melton
Maxey – 9:06 PM

Justin Grasso @JGrasso_
Dewayne Dedmon and De’Anthony Melton are set to start tonight with Embiid and Harden out for the Sixers – 9:05 PM

Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Sitting James Harden and Joel Embiid for this contest takes a lot of air out of this matchup, but it’s obvious the team has their eyes set on the playoffs. They’ll gladly concede a game in order to have their stars healthy for the playoffs. #Sixers – 9:05 PM

Philadelphia 76ers @sixers
tonight’s starting five:
🔔 P.J. Tucker
🔔 @Tobias31
🔔 @D_dedmon3
🔔 @Tyrese Maxey
🔔 @De’Anthony Melton
👕 @alscouniforms – 9:05 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
Starting 🖐
#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/dTCfiQKce6 – 9:01 PM

Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
We are live with Rudy Carey, head coach of the Colorado 6A state champion Denver East basketball team. Come join.
We’ll also talk about Joel Embiid pulling one of the softest move in recent NBA history.
youtube.com/live/OofnzHUlG… – 8:59 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
No Harden tonight, per @wojespn.
No excuse for the #Nuggets tonight. – 8:58 PM

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN Sources: Sixers G James Harden (Achilles) has been downgraded to out vs. the Nuggets tonight. He’s targeting a return at home later in the week. Philadelphia is now without both Harden and Joel Embiid vs. Denver. – 8:58 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
Coach checking in pregame 🎙 pic.twitter.com/0uHBb51JRX – 8:57 PM

Duvalier Johnson @DuvalierJohnson
Going on with @DenverEastHoops legend Rudy Carey and we will discuss the Angels, a charity for a kid who had a bright future as well as Joel Embiid ducking. Tune in..
. youtube.com/live/OofnzHUlG… via @YouTube – 8:56 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
Almost that time pic.twitter.com/mg6JGBb7S5 – 8:49 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
Injury Update: Michael Porter Jr. is available for tonight’s game vs. the Sixers.
#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/wAMyIATrzT – 8:33 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Doc Rivers said he hopes Joel Embiid’s calf issue doesn’t linger, but that they are tricky:
“He felt great the last two games, but we’re just gonna take this slow and be smart. We want to get him, and our whole team, healthy, for the playoffs. That’s the most important thing.” – 8:28 PM

Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Folks, I’m going to do a takeover of the @MileHighSports account tonight to cover Nuggets-Sixers. You’ll find all of my game coverage over there! – 8:24 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Doc Rivers on Jamal Murray, and if he is back to playing the way he did in the bubble: “I hope I never see that again.”
Then, after a pause, and with a smile: “That’s why I’m here.”
Said he thinks Murray is getting closer to that level of player again. – 8:07 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
🎥 pic.twitter.com/G5lU8aReU0 – 8:06 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
Guess the stat line pic.twitter.com/4TvnFUtGpW – 8:06 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Doc Rivers said James Harden has felt good over the past couple of days, and that he’ll go through his pregame workout and see how he feels as far as playing tonight. – 8:05 PM

Vinny Benedetto @VBenedetto
Doc Rivers says it wasn’t a hard decision to rule out Joel Embiid for tonight’s game. Rivers adds Embiid complained about his calf at shootaround and wasn’t moving well. Speaks to how tricky calf injuries, even minor ones, can be. – 8:04 PM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Doc Rivers said it was not a hard decision to sit Joel Embiid tonight. He said Embiid was complaining about the calf and wasn’t moving great. He says calf injuries can get tricky so best to be careful. – 8:04 PM

Philadelphia 76ers @sixers
📍5,280 ft.
@NerdWallet pic.twitter.com/nC95zV2xqh – 8:03 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
The rooks looks pic.twitter.com/geJSi1zI31 – 7:57 PM

Katy Winge @katywinge
Michael Porter Jr will play tonight for the Nuggets – 7:53 PM

Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Haven’t been on Twitter much today, but, while maybe not the best optics after the Shams interview drops, it’s absurd that the storyline is Embiid is ducking Jokic when he’s 5-2 against him all-time and combined for 81 points and 27 rebounds over their last 2 matchups. – 7:52 PM

Vinny Benedetto @VBenedetto
Michael Malone says he expects Michael Porter Jr. to play tonight. – 7:51 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Michael Malone have James Harden a lot of credit for how he’s changed his game, saying he’s “checked his ego at the door” this season with how he’s playing. Said he’s been very impressed with both Harden and Tyrese Maxey and how they’ve played, and in particular Maxey of late. – 7:50 PM

Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Michael Malone once again reiterated that even without Joel Embiid playing, he’s worried about the Nuggets having an emotional let-up. Being up for a game like this one.
“Can’t have any let-ups.” – 7:50 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
Whose fit we rockin’ with the most 🤔
#ULTRADrip pic.twitter.com/e7gmwLweuD – 7:50 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
🗳 – 7:50 PM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Michael Malone says he isn’t disappointed that Joel Embiid isn’t playing tonight and that the Sixers aren’t at full strength. He says it’s all about the Nuggets coming with the right mindset and continuing how they played against Milwaukee. – 7:49 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Michael Malone says Michael Porter Jr. should be good to go tonight, and said his team’s approach doesn’t change no matter who is available from the other side. – 7:48 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Michael Malone said he expects MPJ to be available tonight. – 7:48 PM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Michael Malone says Michael Porter Jr. should be good to go tonight against Sixers. – 7:48 PM

Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
🏀 @boogiecousins has Embiid over Jokic for the MVP. Take a listen to why
@TermineRadio|@Jumpshot8 pic.twitter.com/sc6VGokiAc – 7:24 PM

Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
On today’s episode of “The Good Word”, the great @howardBeck joins me. Can Zion have an Embiid-like path after early struggles? LeBron and the Lakers, transparency in awards voting…
youtu.be/hJQxhjER24Q
APPLE: apple.co/3K9uMnt
SPOTIFY: spoti.fi/3FUP4hY – 7:13 PM

Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
He’s like Jokic that way — in that you wouldn’t think someone that slow would have their best coverage be one that is so aggressive. But Jokic, like Anderson is longer than you think and has elite hands. – 6:52 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
What’s it going to be, Nuggets Nation
#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/jvnrM8riY8 – 6:27 PM

Philadelphia 76ers @sixers
final four.
@NJMIns pic.twitter.com/0OKjLCRSl1 – 6:23 PM

DeAndre Jordan @DeAndre
#35 @TobiOye… – 6:11 PM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Disappointed we won’t get to see Jokic vs Embiid tonight in Denver, especially after seeing Jokic go for 31 and 11 against Giannis, Brook Lopez and the Bucks. pic.twitter.com/Vm5zs8LL1C – 5:44 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
If the Sixers med staff says Harden is clear to play, then Doc may play him near 47 minutes total, even if he believes his All NBA point guard is “hurting.”
You can apply the same stuff to Embiid an MVP candidate playing 2ofB2b’s w/calf issue.
What’s the solution here? – 5:24 PM

Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Wow… Naz Reid was a finalist for Western Conference player of the week.
Brandon Ingram won the award, but the other official nominees were SGA, JJJ, Jokic and Naz.
Couple MVP candidates, the likely DPOY, BI and the Wolves third string center. – 5:23 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
Team stats heading into tonight’s matchup 📊
#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/0gAbvarTkM – 5:11 PM

Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
8. Bulls were 14/31 from 3P range (45.2%), another hot shooting night in addition to success in transition and moving ball (32-to-9 ast/tov ratio)
Aside from PHI games, been on a heater. 41.4% from 3 in last 8 games (1st in NBA in that time), making 12.9 (9th) of 31.1 a/g (22nd) pic.twitter.com/ytbavk5Zfc – 4:57 PM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Joel Embiid out vs. Nuggets, James Harden returns, Sixers and No. 4 seed youtu.be/HHw3f5fJNLI via @YouTube – 4:50 PM

Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
HOOPSHYPE RESEARCH
LeBron James’ teams spent 9.76 percent more in player salaries than the league average during his time in the NBA.
That would still put him behind Shaq, Kobe, Curry and Dirk… but way ahead of Giannis, Harden and Duncan. pic.twitter.com/xI9EV96r4E – 4:37 PM

Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Philadelphia 76ers rule out Joel Embiid but are getting back James Harden in Denver #NBA
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/14… – 4:16 PM

Denver Nuggets @nuggets
Hometown Hero
Click the link below to nominate someone to be honored at an upcoming Nuggets home game! – 4:08 PM

Philadelphia 76ers @sixers
tale of the tape.
🔒 @betwayusa | #GetItLocked pic.twitter.com/ScUYdWUpx2 – 4:01 PM

Chris Palmer @ChrisPalmerNBA
Joel Embiid is the 2023 NBA MVP. Any vote to the contrary would be suspect. There is nothing more he has to prove. – 3:39 PM

Justin Grasso @JGrasso_
Tyrese Maxey was an Eastern Conference Player of the Week nominee after averaging 25 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 5 APG while shooting 52% FG and 50% 3PT on 9 attempts per game. Celtics’ Jaylen Brown was the winner this week. – 3:36 PM