PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid's MVP award from last season was not received well by a big portion of NBA fans. Now, the Philadelphia 76ers center has substantially improved his level of play. The Sixers are winning more than most people thought they would and Embiid — again — has gotten better.

Embiid's per-game averages of 35.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.9 blocks are all higher than what he had last year despite playing fewer minutes per game. His 51-point demolition of an elite Minnesota Timberwolves team only further entrenched his argument as the best basketball player on the planet.

“I'm just pushing myself more, understanding that every possession matters,” Embiid said after the win over Minnesota. “It doesn't matter — I shouldn't have to wait until the playoffs. In the regular good season, obviously, with my body, sometimes doesn't allow you to do that. But just trying my best offensively, defensively. What I've been most excited about is the defensive end. I felt like I haven't really taken any plays off. I've been going as hard as possible and defensively, we've been doing pretty good. I think we're top five, so I'm happy about that.”

The first ESPN straw poll pegged Embiid as the runaway MVP frontrunner so far this season. While other superstars loom, the big man has made significant developments as a playmaker and getting back to being a best-of-the-best defender throughout the regular season. Taking another leap after already taking home the hardware — on a team overperforming its expectations, no less — makes for a heck of a case.

The ultimate question about the Sixers is whether they can actually make it deep into the playoffs for once in the Joel Embiid era. That question has yet to be answered but provides the backdrop that anything Embiid or Philly does. Any win, loss, streak of success or failure is small potatoes compared to the journey everyone is waiting to see if they can finish this time.

For now, though, there is plenty of greatness to be appreciated.

“We're seeing something pretty cool right now right in front of us,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said after Wednesday’s game. “It just goes back, I think I heard him say a week or so ago, maybe 10 days ago, that his mindset is to go out there and dominate every single night. And I like that as a starting point.”