Did Philadelphia 76ers Receive a Failing NBA Midseason Grade?

How do the Philadelphia 76ers grade out halfway through the NBA season?

Nov 20, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) and center Joel Embiid (21) react during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Should the Philadelphia 76ers’ 2024-2025 NBA season be considered a failure around the halfway point?

Recently, USA Today graded out all 30 teams across the league. The Sixers came close to landing a failing grade, but they were given some grace.

“Things had started to look better once Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George all had more time on the floor together,” USA Today wrote, issuing the Sixers a D+.

“But Philadelphia has lost six consecutive games and nine of their last 11, as Embiid is dealing with yet another injury issue.”

Since the grades were given out, the Sixers collected another loss against the Denver Nuggets on the road.

They are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak after dropping Tuesday’s game by nearly 40 points against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.

Health and availability have been a primary issue for the Sixers this season. The team’s top player, Joel Embiid, has seen the court for just 13 games. The star center has been dealing with numerous setbacks, including knee swelling, a sprained foot, and a sinus fracture.

With Embiid once again missing a large chunk of time throughout the year, the Sixers haven’t figured out how to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference.

Currently, Philadelphia holds a 15-27 record, which places them 11th in the conference.

Just three other teams graded out as bad as the Sixers. Two of them have the fact that they are clear rebuilders in common. The Charlotte Hornets have some promising players, including LaMelo Ball, but they haven't shown signs of transitioning to being a contender just yet.

As for the Toronto Raptors, they recently declared themselves to be in a rebuild. Both, Charlotte and Toronto have just 11 wins to show for at this point.

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans are similar to Philadelphia. Entering the year, the Pelicans planned to contend in the Western Conference. Injuries to key players like Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans down a path of fighting to get out of the bottom of the Western Conference.

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