PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers returned home on Thursday to play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers looking to build off their season-opening win in New York. Still a brand new team, the Cavs offered another test for this group after Cleveland finished in the Eastern Conference finals in 2026.
The Sixers got off to a miserable start as the Cavaliers built a lead as large as 29. Philadelphia couldn't find a rhythm on either end of the floor and Cleveland's cohesion was there from the start. However, things changed after halftime as the Sixers seemingly locked in and rallied from a ridiculous deficit in order to beat the Cavs 114-106. Philadelphia outscored Cleveland 69-37 in the second half.
Tyrese Maxey had 32 points and six assists, Joel
Embiid had 24 points and seven rebounds, and LeBron James added 17 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Jaylen Brown chipped in with 21 points, eight rebounds, and four assists and VJ Edgecombe had 11, seven rebounds, and five assists.
Here are the player grades following a miraculous win:
Tyrese Maxey: A-plus
The only Sixer to get much going on offense early, Maxey carried Philadelphia a bit as he found ways to get to the basket along with finding a rhythm inside the paint. The Cavaliers have a lot of able defenders such as Jaylon Tyson and Peyton Watson on the perimeter, but Maxey’s speed and quickness gave them trouble. Again, his defensive effort in the second half was such a sparkplug for Philadelphia being able to rally and he should be praised for his work on that end of the floor. The offensive numbers are great, but Maxey’s defense has come such a long way, and it was key in this one.
VJ Edgecombe: A-minus
After a slow start, Edgecombe was able to finally get into a rhythm late in the second quarter and it carried into the third. He is so smart moving without the basketball and he was the beneficiary of some James wizardry in order to make an impact on the offensive end. Edgecombe was terrific defensively and his work on the perimeter was a key part of Philadelphia finding a way to stymie Cleveland in the second half.
Jaylen Brown: A-minus
It was a tough offensive start for Brown as he had a tough time really finding any type of rhythm on that end. He really couldn’t find any clean looks and he had to really work for a lot of his shots within the offense and it hurt the team’s overall rhythm. However, just like in New York on Tuesday, Brown turned it around in the second half by burying a triple and then putting his head down and attacking. He looked like a different player in the second half. Like James, there were some turnover issues early, but he was able to figure that out and contribute to the Sixers in a positive way. The shots he made in the fourth quarter to really put the dagger in Cleveland's heart were something to behold.
LeBron James: A-minus
The initial James stint in this one started with him knocking down an open 3. After that, it was a bit clunky, which is to be expected at this point in the season. This is only the second game for these guys, so there will be moments where things look a bit off. James had some turnovers in the first half that can be categorized as “off”. He had some great plays in the second half as he limited his mistakes, was able to get out in transition, and found success on offense by getting into the paint. Overall, he had some impressive moments defensively, was terrific as a playmaker, was vocal, and led the Sixers on the comeback trail. A very solid home debut for King James.
Joel Embiid: A
When Embiid was able to put his head down and attack Cleveland’s bigs, it was too easy for him. He bullied the Cavs inside the paint and he was able to finish around the basket in order to keep the scoreboard moving. However, it was the defense in the second half that really stands out. He was moving quickly, deterred a lot of shots, and forced the Cavs to rush things in the paint. When Embiid is this engaged defensively, it makes all the difference. He also took over in the fourth when he saw the Cavs switched former teammate James Harden onto him. Embiid attacked that matchup and was successful on the offensive end in the final frame.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: B-minus
The veteran had a non-descript initial stint as he just committed a turnover in his nine minutes of play to start the night. He knocked down a critical 3 in the fourth as he was able to contribute to Philadelphia’s comeback efforts.
Anfernee Simons: C-minus
The initial stint for Simons wasn’t great as he wasn’t able to free himself for any open looks. The one 3 he did try and get off after freeing himself up off the dribble was blocked by Watson as Cleveland found a way to bottle him up.
Adem Bona: C
Bona grabbed a rebound and got a bucket in his initial stint, which is good. The bad? He committed a foul when he jumped trying to block an Evan Mobley layup and got caught in the air. He did some Adem Bona things, though, which is giving this team some time to rest Embiid.
Jabari Walker: Incomplete
The Sixers turned to Walker and he immediately gave this team some energy. He was battling in the paint defensively, had a putback, and was able to make an impact in his initial stint. He didn’t get a look in the second half as Philadelphia made its comeback.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Tyrese Maxey leads 76ers from down 29 to beat Cavaliers
