The Philadelphia 76ers produced a remarkable second-half comeback to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 on Thursday, overturning a massive 29-point deficit at Xfinity Mobile Arena to register their second consecutive victory of the NBA season.
After trailing 69-45 at halftime, Philadelphia delivered an extraordinary turnaround, outscoring Cleveland 69-37 in the second half to secure a memorable win against last season’s Eastern Conference finalists.
Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 32 points, while Joel Embiid contributed 24. Jaylen Brown added 21 points and eight rebounds, while LeBron James recorded 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. VJ Edgecombe also impressed with 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Philadelphia struggled early, committing 11 turnovers in the opening 13 minutes as Cleveland dominated the first half. Donovan Mitchell’s three-pointer late in the second quarter helped the Cavaliers establish a commanding 67-39 advantage.
However, the Sixers responded with greater defensive intensity after halftime, reducing the deficit to a one-possession game with 3:59 remaining in the third quarter.
Embiid eventually gave Philadelphia its first lead at 96-95 with 6:54 left in the final quarter.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to respond to adversity,” Brown said. “It’s going to be ups and downs all year long. How we respond is going to be 80% of the battle. It’s a good sign that we came out being down 30. We could have been pointing fingers. We got after it. I like that.”
Philadelphia’s starters were instrumental in the comeback, accounting for 64 of the team’s 69 second-half points.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse acknowledged the dramatic contrast between the two halves.
“That’s kind of a wild way to win a game, to get just absolutely two halves that don’t resemble each other at all,” Nurse said.
For James, the victory marked the biggest comeback win of his career and an emotional home debut, with his family in attendance.
“It was everything that I dreamed of and more,” James said, praising the atmosphere inside the arena.
Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson admitted his team struggled against Philadelphia’s increased pressure.
“They upped their pressure and physicality. It was pretty clear,” Atkinson said. “We did not handle it well.”
Mitchell led Cleveland with 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Evan Mobley contributed 18 points and eight rebounds.
The victory followed Philadelphia’s opening-night triumph over the New York Knicks, giving the Sixers an impressive start to their campaign.
