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Sources: Joel Embiid out vs. Nuggets; James Harden to return

Ahead of a much-anticipated meeting of two MVP front-runners, the Philadelphia 76ers are ruling out center Joel Embiid against the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic on Monday night, sources told ESPN.

Embiid has been laboring with a sore right calf, and the Sixers decided to take a precautionary approach given the density of the team's recent schedule, sources said.

Embiid did try to give it a go at the shootaround Monday morning, but the Sixers decided to give him some rest. Monday's game in Denver is the Sixers' third in four nights.