The Philadelphia 76ers are becoming the laughing stock of the NBA. It should be of little surprise that their grade for the first half of the season is quite low, and they don’t even get much credit for all of the young players with potential on their team due to how poorly their work ethic is being formed.
The Sixers could at least have signed a few cagey veterans to teach their guys the right way to play the game, but they haven’t done that and it’s difficult to see them having success within the next five years. There might be brighter days ahead in the future for Philadelphia, but it’s hard to envision right now. The numbers aren’t pretty either.
The 76ers have only won five games so far this season, and they have yet to win a single match against a team in the Eastern Conference. They have managed to lose 38 games since the year started, and they are in the running to lose up to 70.
They do have a rookie of the year candidate in Jahlil Okafor averaging 17.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game, but he is mainly doing this because there aren’t enough talented players around him. If the Sixers had some shooters surrounding Okafor, then they might be able to rattle off a few wins in a row. But Nerlens Noel needs to improve if Philadelphia wants to be a contender one day, because they need a player who can be effective when paired with Jahlil. Noel is only averaging 10.6 and 8.3 rebounds per game, and he must become more efficient to justify keeping him on the floor. It would also help to have some extra perimeter shooting, but they have to add one piece at a time. Their grade for the season’s first half isn’t a failing one; however, it is quite close.
Final First Half Grade: D-
