Going into Tuesday night's much-hyped clash between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Denver Nuggets, expectations were somewhat tempered. Joel Embiid returned from a knee injury the previous night after being sidelined for 10 days, so a second game of a back-to-back against Nikola Jokic and the reigning champions could have understandably gone poorly.

Instead, he posted a signature showing that propelled his Sixers to a 126-121 home victory, while also sending a message to the basketball-watching world that he is still in contention for the title of best player in the NBA today. After overcoming Jokic, the 29-year-old center then issued a different kind of message to his on-court rival.

“I just told him he’s the best player in the league,” Embiid told TNT's Allie LaForce, recalling his nice embrace with Jokic after the final buzzer sounded. In what must be seen as a statement game, the 76ers superstar expressed complete reverence for his opponent. Perhaps most interesting, though, is that Embiid's comments give fans a peak into his current mindset.

Will this triumph finally precede a Joel Embiid, 76ers postseason run?

The Cameroon native, like many, considers Nikola Jokic to be “The Guy” right now after leading the Nuggets to their first championship and earning NBA Finals MVP honors last summer. He knows that in order to stake his claim for that label, he must follow suit and seize the Larry O'Brien Trophy this year. With more performances like this one, Joel Embiid and Philly might finally flip the “can't win the big game” narrative that has attached itself to the franchise for several years.

Although these questions cannot be answered for another few months, definitively emerging victorious in a battle between the last three MVPs (Jokic won back-to-back) should carry weight in the present. Embiid posted 41 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and one block to rise above Jokic (still was fantastic with 25 points and 19 boards). Most impressive and important, however, was the six-time All-Star's late-game heroics.

With the score tied at 113 about midway through the fourth quarter, Embiid took over and scored 10 straight points to give the 76ers complete control in the final minutes. If the big man does that in June, then maybe he will receive the complement he just bestowed on the Joker.