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Sixers' Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid are finalists for NBA awards

Ben Simmons is a finalist for rookie of the year and Joel Embiid is in the running for defensive player of the year.

Center Joel Embiid (left) and point guard Ben Simmons led the Sixers to a turnaround season.
Center Joel Embiid (left) and point guard Ben Simmons led the Sixers to a turnaround season.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
    by Keith Pompey | Columnist
    Published 

CHICAGO – No surprise here.

The 76ers' talented duo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are finalists for NBA awards.

Simmons, Utah shooting guard Donovan Mitchell and Boston small forward Jayson Tatum are the rookie-of-the-year finalists. Embiid is a finalist for defensive player of the year along with Jazz center Rudy Gobert and New Orleans big man Anthony Davis.

The votes for the regular-season awards were submitted by the media in April. The finalists are the top three vote-getters. The winner will be announced at the NBA awards show in Santa Monica, Calif.,  on June 25.

The most valuable player, sixth man, most improved player and coach of the year awards will also be named that night.

Simmons averaged 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists this season. He had 12 triple-doubles in the regular season. Mitchell averaged 20.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals. Tatum averaged 13.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 steals.

Davis led the league with 2.57 blocks per game. He was also second in the league in scoring at 28.1 points, while ranking fifth in rebounds at 11.1. Embiid averaged 22.9 points , 11 rebounds and 1.76 blocks, while Gobert averaged 13.5 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.