The visiting Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Denver Nuggets on Friday, 124 - 122. Philadelphia (8 - 24) saw strong big man play in Friday's win, with rookie center Joel Embiid taking the reigns. Embiid led the team with 23 points and also had six rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three blocks. Despite playing on limited minutes due to a foot injury that robbed him of two full seasons of play, Embiid is the runaway favorite for Rookie of the Year this season. Forward Ersan Ilyasova also scored 23 and recorded a team - high 13 rebounds. Philly was able to get the edge in the game with stellar shooting from long range, knocking down 16 three - pointers on the night. Denver (14 - 19) was also led by its young standout center. Sophomore Nikola Jokic scored 25 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists. Jokic has led all centers in assists since being moved into the starting lineup. Sophomore point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, meanwhile, had a rare night of offensive efficiency, scoring 22 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting. The Nuggets as a whole shot over 47 percent from the field, but could not find the three - point shooting to match Philly. Both teams will enjoy a few days of rest carrying into the New Year.
["TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 19 Losses ,has 122 Total points ,has 14 Wins ."
 "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 24 Losses ,has 124 Total points ,has 8 Wins ."]