FanDuel NBA Daily Picks: Fantasy Basketball Lineup For January 18
Even in limited playing time, Joel Embiid has been the most impactful rookie in FanDuel NBA tournament play.
Seemingly each night out, Joel Embiid works his way into more exclusive company.
The 22-year-old is averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game (third-most in the league) even though he is still restricted to just 28 minutes a game, a figure not likely to increase for the rest of the year.
The Philadelphia 76ers have been hesitant to increase his workload as Embiid missed the entirety of the last two seasons dealing with a pair of foot fractures, but he has been exceptional in January, becoming a force in FanDuel NBA league play along the way.
Embiid is posting 22.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 2.3 assists and a steal per game this month, enough for 40.7 FanDuel NBA tournament points a night.
Also See: 50 Most Underrated Players In NBA History
For the year, Embiid is producing 1.35 FanDuel NBA points per minute played.
Even though he has yet to log 30 minutes in a single game this season, Embiid leads all first year performers in scoring, rebounding, blocks and double-doubles.
No rookie has been more of a potent scorer since another dominant Philadelphia center took the league by storm nearly six decades ago.
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Embiid is posting 28 points for every 36 minutes played, a total only surpassed by Wilt Chamberlain, with 29.2 points per 36 minutes during his debut season with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1959-60.
Since 1973-74, the first year Basketball-Reference can calculate possessions, Joel Embiid is averaging 38.5 points per 100 possessions, the highest mark of any player in their rookie season.
Following a 24-point, eight-rebound, three-block, two-steal effort against the Hornets Friday night, Embiid joined Ralph Sampson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal and Blake Griffin as the only players in league history to register at least 500 points and 200 rebounds in their first 27 career games since 1980.
In his next appearance, Embiid created a category all his own, becoming the first player in league history to register nine consecutive 20-point performances, while playing fewer than 30 minutes in each contest.
The combination of speed, athleticism and strength has made Embiid one of the most difficult centers the league to defend.
Joel Embiid catches the pass in transition and throws down the tomohawk dunk! https://t.co/M9LL4IKJbn
— Jayhawks In The NBA (@NBA_Jayhawks) January 17, 2017
The 7-footer is converting 62.6 percent of his attempts at the rim, but has provided an unexpected scoring touch for the 76ers. Embiid is converting 53.3 percent of his jumpers from 16-feet away from the rim to inside the 3-point arc.
To put his accuracy into context, Embiid is shooting better from that range than the Golden State trio of Kevin Durant (52.8 percent), Klay Thompson (45.4 percent) or Stephen Curry (45.1 percent) this year.
As dominant as Embiid has been offensively this season, Philadelphia has perhaps benefited the most from his ability to protect the rim.
The 76ers haven’t had a player average 2.0 rejections or more since Samuel Dalembert in 2007-08 and the 68 rejections from Embiid this season are more than twice the amount anyone else on the roster has posted.
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Opponents are shooting just 42.5 percent against Embiid on shots within six feet of the rim, the lowest percentage in the NBA. Embiid is holding players to 18.5 percent below their season average on shots from within six feet of the rim.
The combination of effective scoring and exceptional rim protection could be enough for Embiid to become the first Philadelphia player to secure an All-Star selection since Jrue Holiday four years ago .
Embiid is trying to become the 46th rookie in league history selected to the All-Star Game, a feat that is becoming increasingly difficult. Since 1990, seven first year players have been selected to participate in the event.
Only Yao Ming and Blake Griffin have made the All-Star team in their debut season since 2000.
A roster spot may not be guaranteed for Embiid on All-Star weekend in New Orleans next month, but his effective play, in limited time, is enough to secure a position in any FanDuel NBA lineup Wednesday night.