The Sixer Sense
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Grading the first half of the season for the Sixers

By Charron Elliott

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 12: Joel Embiid #21 and Robert Covington #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers pour water on T.J. McConnell #12 after McConnell recorded a triple double against the New York Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center on February 12, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 108-92. 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)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 12: Joel Embiid #21 and Robert Covington #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers pour water on T.J. McConnell #12 after McConnell recorded a triple double against the New York Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center on February 12, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 108-92. 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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How have the Philadelphia 76ers done thus far?

Coming into the season I pictured the Philadelphia 76ers being a playoff team in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Especially considering they would have both a healthy Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons in their lineup consistently.

The icing on the cake was supposed to be the rookie point guard, Makelle Fultz, who in his lone season in college basketball averaged an impressive 23.1 points, nearly six assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Fast forward to now. Fultz has been sidelined almost all season with a shoulder injury and, according to Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo, might miss the rest of the season as well.

This is the main reason I give the team a B+ at the All-Star break, because with the history of drafting injured players so high in the draft (Ben Simmons, Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid), it has to be deflating for Philly fans to go through this yet again.

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Especially when you consider the type of seasons rookies Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Dennis Smith Jr., and De’Aaron Fox have had.

However, even with the loss of Fultz the Sixers currently hold a 30-25 record and are the seventh seed in the Eastern conference going into the All-Star break.

The main key to the season have been the stellar play of Simmons and Embiid, who have one of the best duos in the NBA.

Simmons was thrust into the starting point guard role after Philly decided to sideline Fultz and to Ben’s credit, he has adjusted quite well. Simmons has averaged 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game and became the first rookie since Magic Johnson to register six triple-doubles.

Safe to say that the patience with Simmons has paid off, as he is a favorite to win Rookie of the Year Award.

Of course the godfather of “The Process”, Joel Embiid, has been dominant at times this season and is finally healthy. Averaging 23.7 points per contest with an effective field goal percentage of 51.5 and 11.1 rebounds per game, he has been putting in work.

Without Joel Embiid in the lineup, Philly has a  dismal record of just 3-8. His durability has been the main reason Philly is still a playoff team.

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Dario Saric has been good thus far in the season as well, with an average of nearly 16 points and eight rebounds per game. He shot around 38 percent from three, which is especially good when it is coming from someone who’s 6-10.

The Sixers also have other shooters in Robert Covington, J.J. Redick, and the recently-acquired Marco Belinelli.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, these players, along with solid bench production from the likes of a T.J. McConnnell, who’s been great, will be the deciding factors for Philly remaining in playoff contention.

The Sixers also need to eliminate  some of the turnovers, as the have led the league all year in the coughing the ball the up to the opposition.

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With that being said, overall Philly fans should be proud of this team going into the All-Star break because it has been a solid overall start and “The Process” seems to be slowly turning into some “Progress”!