James Harden, Doc Rivers promote Joel Embiid for MVP

Embiid put up yet another stellar performance complete with 44 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks. While his offensive stats get the most attention, teammate James Harden said after the game it's Embiid's play on both sides of the ball that make him an MVP candidate.

"I get to witness his greatness every night," Harden said, via ESPN. "Obviously, his offensive numbers tonight are self-explanatory. Defensively, he was very active blocking shots, changing shots, and clogging the paint up was key." 

Rivers even went so far as to say that part of what makes Embiid such a strong MVP candidate is how he carried the team through the "Ben Simmons saga" which ended in dramatic fashion at the trade deadline.

"He was our second-best player at the time and was out, and at the All-Star break when we made the trade, we were a game out of first place in the East," Rivers said. "There's a lot to be said about that."

Embiid remains a strong contender in the MVP race, although Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is the favorite is win the honors for a second year in a row. Both players are playing remarkable basketball down the stretch, so it's a bit of a toss-up as to who will win at the end of the season.