The Sixer Sense
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Did Sixers get robbed of rookie of the year?

By Matthew Fleming

CAMDEN, NJ - SEPTEMBER 26: Joel Embiid #21 and Dario Saric #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers participate in media day on September 26, 2016 in Camden, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
CAMDEN, NJ - SEPTEMBER 26: Joel Embiid #21 and Dario Saric #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers participate in media day on September 26, 2016 in Camden, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Joel Embiid and Dario Saric of the Philadelphia 76ers lost to Malcolm Brogdon of the Milwaukee Bucks for the rookie of the year, but was it the right call?

The first annual NBA Awards are now behind us and the biggest award of the night for Philadelphia 76ers fans was the 2017 rookie of the year.

Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers /

Philadelphia 76ers

Even though this isn’t a big deal going forward we should at least consider how the award did not go through Philly this year.

Embiid vs Brogdon

When people are asked who is better between this two guys, the answer 100 percent of the time is Embiid.

The same can be said about who had the better rookie season.

So why didn’t Embiid win the award?

The answer is simple. Brogdon played 75 games and Embiid played 31 games.

Many people believe that 31 games are just not enough to be considered for this award.

You can certainly understand why people believe that, and there is credibility in that argument. But in my opinion regardless of games played the award needs to go to the player who made more of an impact on their team and clearly had the best season of any rookie.

Saric vs Brogdon

How Brogdon won the award over Saric is even more of a mystery.

Saric played 81 games this season, 6 more than Brogdon and averaged more points and rebounds, according to csnphilly.com

Saric averaged 12.8 points per game compared to 10.2 for Brogdon and Saric had 6.3 rebounds per game compared to 2.8 for Brogdon.

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Brogdon averaged more assists, and had better shooting statistics.

Doesn’t rookie of the month matter anymore?

I understand that a rookie of the year award is not really a big deal in the big picture.

But I will end my argument on this note, how can a player win rookie of the year when he wasn’t even the best rookie in any month during the season.

Congrats go to Brogdon for winning the award, but give me Saric or Embiid every day of the week.

Next: Fultz fit too good to be true?

Can’t wait for the Bucks to come to town next season.