Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has the rest of the NBA world on his fingertips following such an exceptionally dominant performance on Tuesday night against the Boston Celtics. In a heated affair between two of the best teams in the NBA, it was Embiid whose star shone blindingly bright as he erupted for 52-point masterclass in a 103-101 victory.

Following this MVP-level performance, it's hard to bet against the Sixers star taking home the most prized individual acclaim in professional basketball. And that's exactly how his head coach Doc Rivers felt, especially during a night where Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets floundered against the Houston Rockets of all teams.

In fact, Rivers went as far as to declare that the MVP race was “over”. And no, he did not stutter. Speaking on the Keyshawn, JWill & Max Show, Rivers doubled down on his support of his Sixers' star man — and for good reason.

“The 52 points were huge. The game-changing shots defensively [were huge]. You're sitting there as a coach, and you say, ‘This is what an MVP looks like to me.' So that's why I said [it was over],” Rivers said.

On a night where the Sixers offense, outside of Joel Embiid and James Harden, failed to click at any level, the presumptive MVP favorite took it upon himself to shoulder such a heavy offensive load. It's not too often that someone scores more points than the rest of his team combined, but that's exactly what made Embiid's performance such a tantalizing one, especially against tough opposition like the Celtics.

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Even then, it's hard to envision Doc Rivers screaming anything else but support for his star player. Surely the MVP race is “over” from Rivers' perspective, but the same may not be true for the award voters. After all, the entire body of work matters, and Nikola Jokic, late-season unevenness notwithstading, has certainly been impressive this season for the number one team in the Western Conference.

Moreover, Rivers knows just how capable Jokic is of leading a comeback, so it surely isn't over until it's over. But at least for one night, Sixers fans will be justified in feeling like it is.