NBA expected to investigate Joel Embiid’s late scratch from Saturday’s game vs. Denver Nuggets

PORTLAND, Ore. — The NBA is expected to investigate 76ers center Joel Embiid’s late scratch shortly before tip-off of Saturday’s 111-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets. A source believes the team is likely to be fined for failing to follow protocol.

Another source said Embiid will miss Monday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers with left knee soreness. As a result, he’s now in jeopardy of missing out on the opportunity to win back-to-back MVP awards.

According to the new collective bargaining agreement, players are required to participate in a minimum of 65 games to be eligible for the NBA’s regular-season awards, including MVP. As a result, Embiid can miss only five of the Sixers’ remaining 37 games after Monday to be eligible to win his second straight MVP.

Embiid’s absence on Saturday was a surprise to the Nuggets and did not sit well with Denver coach Michael Malone.

“I don’t know how you go from being active, available to out,” Malone said. “I’m sure the league will do their due diligence because that’s frowned upon. We’ve had situations this year where we talked to the league. They told us if a player goes from active to out, there’s going to be an investigation.”

Embiid was not listed on the injury report despite appearing to reinjure his left knee Thursday in a 134-122 loss to the Indiana Pacers. After the second-quarter play, Embiid first grabbed his right knee before holding his left one. He acknowledged that the knee bothered him following that game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

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“I haven’t been feeling too well, but I just got to keep battling,” Embiid said of his knee. “I can manage it and go from there.”

While there were concerns that the injury would sideline him Saturday in Denver, Embiid told people that he was going to play. He even went through his pregame workout, but he was ruled out around 15 minutes before the game.

Embiid “really wanted to play,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said. “The medical team did not deem him fit to play.”

Embiid was on hand for Monday morning’s shootaround at the Moda Center. He, Tyrese Maxey (sprained left ankle) and Tobias Harris (illness) were officially listed as questionable against the Blazers before sources said that Embiid was downgraded and ruled out.

“Joel hurt his knee in the Indiana game,” Malone said. “That’s real. We watched the game. He hurt his knee in that Indiana game. So I’m sure he really is hurt, but it’s really tough for a player and a team like us preparing for them [Saturday], and then all of a sudden he’s out.”

Last season, the Miami Heat were fined $25,000 for violating league injury reporting rules. The NBA ruled that the Heat failed to disclose an accurate game availability status for several players before a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 14, 2022, at the Paycom Center.

The Brooklyn Nets were fined $100,000 for violating the league’s new player participation policy during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 27 at the Barclays Center. They held out four rotation players in the lopsided loss.

Asked if he thinks he’ll play against the Blazers, Harris responded, “Yeah … I’m looking forward to [trying to play].”

The power forward would provide a big boost if he’s able to play after missing the last two games with an illness. He came down with the flu after the Sixers’ 133-123 victory over the Spurs on Jan. 22.

“I had a high fever for like the past three, four nights,” Harris said. “I’m trying to recover, really. I usually don’t get sick like that. But it’s bad. It’s really bad.”

Harris still isn’t 100%. But he thinks he’s now able to contribute without harming his body.