NBA

Nuggets fan trolls 76ers' Joel Embiid with ‘Missing Person' sign

Embiid was a late scratch from Saturday's road game in Denver with left knee soreness.

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Jan 25, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

If there's one thing about NBA fans, it's that they always come prepared.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid became the talk of the league Saturday after he was a late scratch ahead of their road game versus the Denver Nuggets.

Embiid has not played at Denver since 2019 -- when Nikola Jokic hit a late game winner -- and he's already missed several key road games this season.

Embiid was ruled out with left knee soreness after Sixers training staff had concerns watching his warm-up routine, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported, citing sources. Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris were already ruled out, though Embiid wasn't on the injury report prior to the game.

RELATED: Nuggets fans chant ‘Where's Embiid at?' after 76ers star ruled out

Then, about midway through the first quarter, a Nuggets fan on the ABC broadcast was seen holding up a "Missing Person" sign with Embiid on it that went viral on social media.

The text underneath his picture read: "Joel Embiid AKA The Process...Descriptions: NO MVPS, NO first team All Stars, Tall...Last seen in Denver: 2019."

Embiid, of course, won the league MVP over Jokic last season after multiple seasons of coming close. He was also named to his first All-NBA First Team and is now a seven-time All-Star.

But Embiid has caught plenty of criticism this season for missing out on key games due to injury, then returning to play teams of lesser quality. This graphic illustrates the road games he's missed and played, with a disparity between the two.

Embiid did play Denver at home on Tuesday, Jan. 16, where he led the 76ers to a thrilling 126-121 victory, logging 41 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and a block on 13 of 22 shooting overall, 3 of 6 from deep and 12 of 15 from the foul line.

But Nuggets fans -- and the NBA world at large -- had Jokic versus Embiid circled on the calendar, only for it not to occur.

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