Maxey and Embiid lead Philadelphia’s second-half turnaround
The Philadelphia 76ers recovered from a 29-point deficit to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114–106 in their home opener on Thursday, October 22. The game finished on Friday morning, October 23, in the Philippines.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 32 points, Joel Embiid scored 24, and Jaylen Brown contributed 21. LeBron James finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Sixers followed their opening victory over New York with another win against an Eastern Conference opponent.
Cleveland controlled the first half, but Philadelphia's response changed the game after the break. The Sixers increased the pressure on the ball, and eight Cavaliers turnovers in the third quarter helped the home side generate opportunities in transition, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Embiid then supplied seven consecutive points to move Philadelphia ahead 96–95 in the fourth quarter. Brown followed with three straight scoring possessions, giving the Sixers room to protect the lead they had spent most of the night chasing.
The result moved Philadelphia to 2–0 and left Cleveland with an opening-game defeat. It also gave the Sixers an early example of their stars contributing at different stages: Maxey supplied the largest scoring total, Embiid changed the lead, and Brown helped establish the late cushion.
The comeback should not obscure the first-half problems. Philadelphia had to recover a substantial deficit before its offense and defensive pressure produced a winning finish. Two victories provide a strong start, but the size of Thursday's escape shows how much work remained during the game itself.
For Cleveland, the decisive issue was converting a commanding advantage into a completed result. Philadelphia's second-half recovery turned what had looked like a difficult home debut into an eight-point win.