Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Have you seen some things about Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid’s last-second scratch in Denver over the weekend? Are you wondering why this is a big deal for the NBA and why everyone keeps talking about it? Don’t worry. We’re here to help.
The Philadelphia 76ers might find themselves in hot water soon.
Last Saturday in Denver was supposed to be a potential NBA Finals preview between Philadelphia and the reigning champion Denver Nuggets. The last two regular-season MVPs, Joel Embiid (2023) and Nikola Jokić (2021-2022) were at the center of the matchup. There was just one problem: Embiid was a last-minute scratch in what some see as a simmering controversy.
What the heck is going on here? What do the Nuggets and 76ers think? And what are the ramifications for the NBA? Let’s dive in.