USA TODAY International Edition
Embiid keeps leading rookies
USA TODAY Sports’ top three candidates for the 2016- 17 NBA Rookie of the Year award ( for Week 12, from Jan. 15 through Saturday; stats and records reflected through Saturday’s games). Also receiving votes: Los Angeles Lakers’ Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans’ Buddy Hield 3. Dario Saric, Philadelphia
76ers: Saric struggled mightily from the field Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers and Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks, making two of his 22 field goal attempts. But the forward put together one of the best performances of his young career in a win Jan. 16 against the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring 17 points ( on 6for- 11 shooting) to go along with nine rebounds and four assists. On the season, he’s averaging 9.4 points and 5.9 rebounds — numbers that trail only Joel Embiid on the rookie leaderboards.
“If Joel Embiid weren’t in the league, you’d have to talk about ( Saric) in consideration for rookie of the year,” 76ers coach Brett Brown said recently, per CSN Philadelphia. “There is an appeal that he has developed, I feel, from our fans. They respect him. How can you not? He is so blue- collar. I think the plays he makes, the effort- based plays, the physical plays just count for everything.” 2. Malcolm Brogdon, Mil
waukee Bucks: Brogdon hasn’t been as efficient during the Bucks’ current five- game losing streak, particularly Saturday’s loss to the Miami Heat in which he made just one of his 10 shot attempts and had only four points, two rebounds and two assists. On the season, though, the 24- yearold is averaging 9.3 points, 4.0 as-
sists and 2.8 rebounds and has found his niche as a member of Milwaukee’s starting unit alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker. 1. Joel Embiid, Philadel
phia 76ers: Though he wasn’t selected as one of the three Eastern Conference frontcourt starters for the All- Star Game, Embiid put together another week of dominance for the 76ers, who have the NBA’s fifth- best record since the turn of the new year. The 7- footer started the week with a 22- point, 12- rebound, fiveblock performance in a win against the Bucks, followed by 26 points and nine rebounds in a win against the Toronto Raptors and 18 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots in a win against the Trail Blazers. He’s averaging 19.8 points ( second among Eastern Conference centers), 7.8 rebounds ( ninth) and 2.47 blocks ( first) for the season — numbers that just might earn him an All- Star spot on the Eastern Conference reserves, which will be announced Thursday.