LeBron James said his home debut for the Philadelphia 76ers was "everything that I dreamed of and more" after the team overturned a 29-point deficit to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106.
Philadelphia trailed 69-45 at half-time and were booed off the court. They recovered to take the lead for the first time with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, with a 15-0 run putting them 104-95 ahead. Cleveland pulled back to 106-102, but the 76ers held firm, outscoring the Cavaliers 69-37 in the second half.
James contributed 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Fellow home debutant Jaylen Brown scored 21 points, 17 of them after half-time. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 32 points, and Joel Embiid added 24.
It is the largest comeback win of James' 24-season NBA career and the largest comeback by the 76ers in the play-by-play era, which began in 1996-97. The result follows a 106-100 opening-night win over the New York Knicks. James also responded to criticism from President Donald Trump, who called him a "total disgrace" for not standing during the national anthem. "It must be a slow news day at the office," James said. Coach Nick Nurse said the team is used to tuning out such distractions and remains focused on preparation.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing