So far, the 2022-23 season has gone just about as expected for the Philadelphia 76ers. They're on the precipice of title contention, Joel Embiid is destroying most of the opponents in his way and the backup center gripes are still going strong. The Sixers have a lot on their plate for the remainder of the season as they look to secure a favorable playoff spot.

The next few weeks will be a big test for Philadelphia as it faces the toughest schedule of any team. Before they kick it off with a matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, let's dish out some grades to the Sixers as the remainder of the regular season begins. I'll be grading each player based not just on their contributions to the team but the expectations of what those contributions should be/have been.

Joel Embiid: A

Embiid has done everything the Sixers have needed him to do and then some. He has been the most prolific scorer on a possession-by-possession basis, anchored a top-notch defense and stayed mostly healthy. You can knock him for having a poor rebounding year by his standards and being careless with the ball far too often but other than that (and maybe some inconsistent defensive effort), he has been simply remarkable.

James Harden: A

Harden, perhaps the most egregious snub from the 2023 All-Star Game, has looked better than expected after a rough start to his Sixers tenure. He has teamed up with Embiid to create one of the best one-two punches in basketball while having one of the very best 3-point shooting seasons of his career. While he does still sometimes have poor shooting nights and continues to be a question mark on defense, this season has gone better than many expected for the Beard.

Tyrese Maxey: B

Maxey has certainly been good this season but hasn't taken the firm leap into All-Star status that many expected out of him. The first long-term(ish) injury of his career and his move to the bench can be seen as potential reasons why he hasn't been able to take another sizable step forward. Even as he continues to adjust to a new role, Maxey is highly impactful and recently gave a glimpse of how he can be good on defense.

Tobias Harris: B

Harris was the talk of the town for altering his game to fit better around the team's stars. He has recently come back down to Earth, posting shooting splits that better match his career averages and hesitating when he gets the ball more often. His inconsistent defending and rebounding can also be tough to watch. Still, his shooting mentality has changed for the better and in the moments where the old Tobias shows up, the results aren't always bad.

P.J. Tucker: C

Tucker was brought in to be a menacing defender and reliable shooter but hasn't done either thing to the level that was expected. His scoring — literally just being a passable option, not even someone who has to create looks — has come around recently but is still brutally low and he isn't the fearsome defensive stopper that many had hoped for. The value of his defensive communication and leadership may be seen more come playoff time.

De'Anthony Melton: B-

Melton has shown his value at several points throughout the season with his shooting, rebounding in tough spots and versatile defense. However, the Sixers are actually 4.9 points worse per 100 possessions with him on the floor, the worst mark of any rotation player. Expected to be one of the best defenders on the team, Melton has trouble at the point of attack just like many of his teammates. Overall, Melton is one of the best do-it-all guys on the team and someone who could also be more important in the playoffs.

Georges Niang: B+

Although Niang has the appearance of a one-dimensional player, he possesses enough skills along with his tremendous shooting that make him a valuable contributor off the bench. The Sixers will have to figure out a way to keep him on the floor come playoff time. He could very much be the type of role player that gets hot and plays a huge role in helping them win.

Paul Reed: B

Reed has done decently in the opportunities he has gotten so far this season. His fouling is still an issue that needs fixing but he brings a much-needed blend of defense, rebounding and efficient scoring. He could be better with a more consistent role but as it stands now, he has been mostly solid when he's on the court.

Montrezl Harrell: D+

Second only to the Cleveland Browns' failed quarterbacks jersey is the Sixers' jersey for failed past-their-prime centers brought in to back up Embiid. With Reed taking more of his playing time recently and Philly bringing in another past-his-prime big man to hopefully shore up the backup center spot, it's safe to add Harrell's name to the jersey. The expectations weren't high for him anyway, hence the somewhat lenient grade, but yeah, it's been very rough.

Shake Milton: B-

Milton had a great few games for the Sixers when they were badly injured early in the season and is having one of the best shooting seasons of his career. Aside from a few games here and there where he gets the bench unit going, his contributions have not been very big.

The remaining players on the roster aren't receiving grades for mostly the same reason. Jalen McDaniels is trending toward a B with his current play.

Doc Rivers: C+

While Rivers does deserve flak for his rotation decisions and the Sixers' frequent flailing late in games, he has also made some good decisions. The Embiid-Harden tandem is flourishing under his watch, the team shoots a healthy amount of triples (11th in the league in 3-point attempt rate) and it has strung together impressive winning streaks at numerous points this season.

Since Harden returned from injury in December, the team has lost consecutive games on only two instances. In that time, they also have two winning streaks of at least seven games. How much credit Rivers deserves for that isn't clear but since he gets blamed when things go poorly, it's right to give him at least some credit for the Sixers — disappointing playoff performances notwithstanding — being in the championship conversation and fielding one of their best teams of the Embiid era.