76ers at Nuggets
The Philadelphia 76ers might be without two of their top players when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Swingman Jimmy Butler could miss his third straight contest due to a wrist injury while All-Star center Joel Embiid will sit out to rest.
Butler traveled to Los Angeles on Friday to have a specialist examine his ailing right wrist and it is unclear if he will be available on Saturday. "It's a confirmation that things are OK," 76ers coach Brett Brown told reporters of Butler's trip. "It's far more precautionary than stuff that people are, sort of, overly worried about." Denver will get back star center Nikola Jokic after he missed Friday's game against Phoenix due to a suspension for leaving the bench area on Wednesday, when teammate Mason Plumlee and Utah's Derrick Favors exchanged shoves. The Nuggets didn't miss Jokic in the least as they rolled to a 132-95 victory over the visiting Suns.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (32-17): Philadelphia has been idle since Wednesday, so the decision to hold out Embiid was surprising - particularly since the team's next game isn't until Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, but Brown indicated Embiid also has been dealing with back discomfort. "It's been a little bit of the fact that he has had some back tightness," Brown said. "It really has been a planned rest. It's not entirely a reaction to some of the things he's gone through. It's a collaborative thing." The 76ers also are holding Wilson Chandler out as he experienced hamstring tightness after playing 36 minutes in Wednesday's 122-120 win over San Antonio.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (32-15): Coach Michael Malone said he discussed Jokic's suspension with NBA officials, and they "just felt Nikola was a little bit aggressive in his movement along the baseline, which they feel could’ve maybe escalated the situation." Not having a player with 16 double-doubles in his last 22 games in the lineup created opportunities for others, and eight players scored in double digits in the trouncing of the Suns. Paul Millsap led the way with 20 points, nine rebounds and three steals while Plumlee moved into the starting lineup and registered 16 points, seven boards and six assists in 25 minutes.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The 76ers have won each of the last three meetings.
2. Denver is 15-1 when holding teams below 100 points.
3. Philadelphia PG Ben Simmons recorded 21 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds against the Spurs for his eighth triple-double of the season and the 20th of his career.