The Philadelphia 76ers experienced a disappointing start to their six-game homestand, suffering a 133-107 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. With this loss, the Sixers’ record now stands at 22-17, while the Cavaliers improve to 23-19.
Joel Embiid was the standout performer for the Sixers, scoring 20 points, while Paul George contributed 17. On the other side, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell dominated the game with 35 points, complemented by nine assists and seven rebounds. Darius Garland also made significant contributions with 20 points and seven assists, while Evan Mobley recorded a solid performance with 17 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks.
Despite the Sixers entering the game at full strength, the Cavaliers were without key players Dean Wade and Max Strus. The match marked the first of a mini-series between the two teams, with a rematch scheduled for Friday night in Philadelphia.
The Cavaliers jumped ahead early in the game with Garland hitting a three-pointer for the opening basket and making their first four field goals. Although the Sixers managed to take a brief lead at 10-9 thanks to an Embiid three-pointer, Cleveland quickly responded with a 10-0 run. The Sixers struggled with turnovers and rebounding early on, giving up 11 second-chance points in just over six minutes. Embiid’s frustration was evident when he was called for traveling, committing his fourth turnover while the Cavaliers had yet to register any.
While Embiid reached a career milestone of 13,000 points in the first quarter, he spent time on the bench as George took over the offensive duties. Despite a brief surge from George, the Sixers trailed by 14 when Embiid returned. Head coach Nick Nurse experimented with his bench players in search of a spark, including Jared McCain, though the second-year guard has seen limited playing time as he continues to recover from injuries.
The Sixers displayed moments of determination, notably a high-energy 10-0 run mid-third quarter fueled by hustle plays. However, their efforts were undermined by an inefficient performance from their starting backcourt, with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe combining for only 23 points on 8-of-26 shooting.
The upcoming rematch presents an opportunity for the Sixers to bounce back and refine their game plan against a tough Cavaliers team. With the season still in its early stages, there’s hope that they can regain momentum and improve their performance in front of their home crowd.