The Philadelphia 76ers turned their home opener into an instant classic on Thursday night, storming back from 29 points down to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 at Xfinity Mobile Arena, according to the Associated Press.
It is the largest comeback in franchise history in the play-by-play era, which began in 1997-98, and just the 10th time in that era that any team has overcome a deficit of 29 or more to win. Trailing 69-45 at halftime after being booed off the floor late in the second quarter, Philadelphia outscored Cleveland 69-37 in the second half and took its first lead at 96-95 midway through the fourth on seven straight points from Joel Embiid. The Sixers missed 11 of their 15 three-point attempts before halftime and committed 14 turnovers, two more than their entire total against the Knicks in the opener, yet still found a way back, per the Associated Press.
Tyrese Maxey led the charge with 32 points on 12-of-23 shooting plus six assists, while Embiid finished with 24 points and seven rebounds. LeBron James posted 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists in his memorable Sixers home debut.
Mitchell fades as Cavs collapse
Donovan Mitchell was brilliant early, scoring 22 of his 32 points in the first half as Cleveland built what looked like an insurmountable lead. But Mitchell managed just two points in the fourth quarter as Philadelphia’s defensive pressure swallowed the Cavaliers whole, per BVM Sports.
James Harden added 16 points for Cleveland and Evan Mobley chipped in 18 points and eight rebounds, but the Cavs had no answer once the Sixers found their rhythm. The visitors’ half-court offense stalled, their turnovers mounted, and a stunned road crowd watched a 29-point cushion evaporate.
The win moves Philadelphia to 2-0 on the young season and offers an early glimpse of what this retooled roster can be. The combination of Maxey’s speed, Embiid’s interior presence and James’ playmaking overwhelmed Cleveland in waves once the comeback began.
A statement for the new-look Sixers
For the Cavaliers, the loss drops them to 0-1 and revives uncomfortable questions. One game is no verdict, but blowing a 29-point lead in a season opener will follow this team until it proves it can close. Cleveland hosts Brooklyn on Saturday looking for a response, while Philadelphia stays home for a weekend back-to-back against Milwaukee and Detroit.
