Fresh off their fourth straight victory, the Philadelphia 76ers took to their home court once again to face off against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. The Sixers’ most recent pair of victories, game off of back-to-back against the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings, signaled a revived sense of fight and determination amidst a season marred by injury and frustration.
The Nuggets have not dealt with the same poor luck as Philadelphia this season, but this road trip—this matchup being the fourth of five straight on the road—has been about as frustrating as it could be for Denver, with three straight losses against the Timberwolves, Bulls, and most recently, the New York Knicks.
Friday night’s matchup saw a team desperate to win, battling it out against a potential contender as if it were to win or go home. The Sixers would not acquiesce, and it was reflected in their approach throughout the game.
Sixers star guard Tyrese Maxey, freshly after having his name snubbed from the 2025 All-Star list, came out of the game initially pressing, leading to three turnovers. After waking up from that quick funk, Maxey went into overdrive, scoring 13 points and piling four assists in the first quarter. From there, his confidence was untenable, and yet another Maxeyclass was set to begin.
Meanwhile, for Denver, Nikola Jokic, whose apathy for the game has endeared him to the masses, was not as equally determined but certainly was able to flip that switch when it mattered most. Playing in the West, it’s rare for Sixers fans to have the opportunity to watch Jokic play, so it’s easy to disassociate from his talent. Seeing Joel Embiid—one of only a few active players who are truly comparable with Jokic—as often as they have, it’s even easier.
This season, with Embiid missing so much time already and not having him on the court to battle Jokic directly, the Serbian star truly stood out, although Philadelphia did everything they could to frustrate Jokic, which is the key to facing him. In this area, they had some success.
By throwing different defensive looks at Jokic, including Guerschon Yabusele and Justin Edwards, and blitzing with double coverage as well, the Sixers helped force six turnovers from the League’s darling.
Ultimately, it wasn’t enough, as the defense-optional matchup fell in Denver’s favor by a final score of 137-134, largely thanks to Jokic’s impact when he saw fit. It came down to the wire, and Jokic and Maxey battled heroically, but untimely miscues doomed the Sixers, though they certainly shouldn’t hang their heads after this effort.
The Nuggets are still considered by many to be a potential contender. Despite the many names listed on the Sixers’ injury report, Philadelphia proved that they can still hang around with the best of the league and that the postseason isn’t yet out of sight.
Up next for the Sixers
The Sixers will next face the Boston Celtics on Sunday, Feb. 2, once again at home in Philadelphia. When these two teams last faced off, Philadelphia stunned the fans up in Boston by supplying them with coal and a loss on Christmas Day. Much has happened since then; the Sixers’ are even less certain due to continued injuries and the
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m., and you can catch the game on NBC Sports Philadelphia or ESPN. As always, you can also listen live at 97.5 FM, The Fanatic.
Hopefully, Sunday also marks the return of Joel Embiid for Philadelphia, or perhaps even more important, considering their opponent, Caleb Martin.
