Sixers quarter-season report cards: Every player’s grade

The Sixers are 12-11 after a couple disheartening losses on the road. That puts them No. 7 in the Eastern Conference standings, well below preseason expectations for the team. Now, there’s one obvious culprit behind Philadelphia’s early-season struggles: the injury bug. All three of its major stars have missed significant time. Joel Embiid has battled various ailments throughout the season, while foot maladies struck both James Harden and Tyrese Maxey at the most inopportune time.

Despite the various lumps and bruises holding this team back, the Sixers have flashed tantalizing potential. They have one of the best defenses in the NBA and Embiid, whoever he’s out there, is playing MVP-type basketball. Once the health of the roster stabilizes (knock on wood), there’s no reason why Philadelphia can’t reassert themselves in the championship pursuit.

That being said, here are the quarter-season report cards for every Sixers player.

Sixers report cards: Starting backcourt

The numbers are plain to see: James Harden is averaging 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 10.0 assists on respectable (if not particularly special) 44.1 percent shooting. He’s arguably the best floor general in the NBA, a full-blown basketball genius whose mere presence immediately elevates everyone around him. It’s unfortunate that he has only played nine games so far.

Tyrese Maxey’s numbers are up across the board. Increased volume (22.9 points on 18.2 FGA) hasn’t tanked his efficiency either. He’s still hitting 42.2 percent of his 3s while making noticeable improvements across the board (finishing through contact, making advanced passes, etc.). His work ethic, ruthlessly positive attitude, and now undeniable star power make it hard to critique Maxey too harshly.