USA TODAY International Edition
Rookie Embiid elevates play
USA TODAY Sports’ top three candidates for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award ( statistics, records and standings reflect games through Saturday). Also receiving votes: Los Angeles Lakers’ Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans’ Buddy Hield 3. Dario Saric, Philadelphia 76ers: Saric, otherwise known as the Sixers’ other rookie, put together an 18- point, five- rebound outing in a win Jan. 8 against the Brooklyn Nets. He struggled from the floor ( 1- for- 8, three points) in a win Wednesday against the New York Knicks but bounced back by hitting four of his six three- point attempts in a 15point, six- rebound performance Friday in a win against the Charlotte Hornets. 2. Malcolm Brogdon, Mil
waukee Bucks: Brogdon scored in double figures in all three of the Bucks games in Week 11 — including a career- high 22 points against the Washington Wizards — and averaged 17.3 points ( on 53.1% shooting), 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals during those contests. The Virginia grad was averaging 31.6 minutes over his last 10 games, trailing only Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo, as he continues to run with the starting lineup. Taken with the No. 36 pick in the second round, Brogdon has been the steal of this year’s class and is showing no signs of slowing down. 1. Joel Embiid, Philadel-
phia 76ers: On the court, the 7foot center was averaging 19.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots for the Sixers — who had won five of their last seven games — and had strung together eight consecutive 20- plus point games despite playing no more than 30 minutes. Off the court, he continues to capture the hearts of the City of Brotherly Love, whether he’s busting a move postgame with the 76ers dancers or cooking up a Shirley Temple- centric All- Star campaign. Should he earn the All- Star nod, he would become the first rookie to receive such honors since Blake Griffin ( 2011) and just the fourth in the last 20 years, joining Yao Ming ( 2003) and Tim Duncan ( 1998).