Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and 76ers center Joel Embiid Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Nikola Jokic leads Nuggets past 76ers in battle of MVP favorites

By Adam Stites | Last updated 3/14/22

The duel of MVP favorites Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid lived up to its billing in a 114-110 win for the Denver Nuggets over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jokic, 27, finished with 22 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks, and two steals. While the reigning MVP finished a pair of assists away from his 76th career triple-double, it was still his passing that wowed Monday night.

Jokic drops a no-look bounce pass in transition!@nuggets 53 | 76ers 58

HALFTIME ON ESPN pic.twitter.com/vbqQcEgIle
— NBA (@NBA) March 15, 2022

Jokic throws a one handed full-court DIME!

Watch Now on ESPN pic.twitter.com/vfTvwRZNcn
— NBA (@NBA) March 15, 2022

Embiid, 27, outscored Jokic with 34 points, nine rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two blocks. The 76ers also got 24 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds from James Harden in the loss.

The 76ers led by as many as 19 points in the first half, but the Nuggets closed the gap to five by halftime. Denver outscored Philadelphia by 11 in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback and get the win.

The Nuggets improved to 41-28 with the win and firmed their grasp on sixth place in the Western Conference. The 76ers entered Monday with a one-game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks for second place in the Eastern Conference.

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