76ers' Joel Embiid Ends MVP Debate for Fans with 52 in Win vs. Jayson Tatum, Celtics

Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid has been regarded as one of the favorites to win NBA MVP throughout this season, and he may have just cemented that victory with Tuesday's performance against the Boston Celtics.

The league's leading scorer showcased his dominance by dropping 52 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two blocks to lead the Sixers to a 103-101 win over the Celtics to the delight of home fans at Wells Fargo Center. Embiid was wildly efficient, shooting 20-of-25 from the field and 12-of-13 from the free-throw line.

Embiid's showing comes after he was outperformed by Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo in Sunday's loss. The 29-year-old clearly wanted to make a statement, and he did just that.

Fans on Twitter couldn't help but shower Embiid with some well-deserved praise after his dominant effort against Boston:

There have been many viable MVP candidates this season, such as Antetokounmpo and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić. However, Embiid has been in a class of his own throughout the year.

The star big man entered Tuesday with averages of 33.0 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 54.2 percent from the field. His offensive prowess has been matched by his defensive effort, as he's been an anchor in the paint for Philadelphia's third-ranked unit.

After Tuesday's victory, the Sixers (52-27) have a slight chance of overtaking the Celtics (54-25) for the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Embiid and Philadelphia will look to keep the momentum going when they return to action on Thursday against the Miami Heat (42-37).