Joel Embiid Hyped by NBA Fans for Triple-Double as 76ers Rout DeMar DeRozan, Bulls

On some nights, the outcome is just never in question.

Tuesday's meeting between the Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls was such an occasion. The Sixers led 43-18 after the first quarter, 73-42 at the half and cruised to a 110-97 blowout win.

Joel Embiid led the Sixers in a big way, as usual, putting up 31 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists and two blocks in the win, while Tyrese Maxey added 21 points. It was Embiid's 15th straight game with at least 30 points, his 14th straight game with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds and his second triple-double of the season.

Oh, and he did all of that in three quarters. He wasn't even needed in the fourth.

DeMar DeRozan put up 16 points for Chicago in a losing effort.

Embiid, who averaged a ridiculous 40.2 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.1 blocks in nine December games, returned Tuesday from an ankle injury that cost him the past four games. The Sixers were 2-2 in his absence.

He clearly didn't miss a beat, and NBA fans and pundits alike were happy to have him back:

The only thing that threatened to slow down Embiid on Tuesday was foul trouble, as he took three fouls into halftime and picked up his fourth early in the third quarter. It proved to be moot, however..

Heck, he even had time to enjoy some candy during the game:

The superstar center continues to look like a true MVP contender yet again after winning his first one last season. But the bigger question is whether he can finally lead this Sixers team (23-10) to a title after never advancing past the second round of the playoffs.

Teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics will be the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, but Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the revamped roster following the James Harden trade have the Sixers looking like a threat.

As for the floundering Bulls (15-20), head coach Billy Donavan told reporters earlier on Tuesday that Zach LaVine realistically could return to the court in the next week. The star guard hasn't played since Nov. 28 with a foot injury, though it remains questionable how much longer he'll be in Chicago, given ongoing trade rumors surrounding him.

The Bulls may be without a pair of key contributors going forward, however, as Patrick Williams was ruled out for the remainder of Tuesday's game with an ankle injury and Coby White left the game in the third quarter with the same injury. He did return to the bench in the fourth quarter.

The Bulls can't seem to catch a break, which makes facing a superstar like Embiid all the more daunting.