Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Tyrese Maxey scored 32 points and Joel Embiid had 24 to help LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers wipe out a 29-point deficit in their NBA home opener and stun the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106.
James had 17 points and 10 rebounds on Thursday night (Friday AEDT) in the biggest comeback win of his career, and fellow newcomer Jaylen Brown had 21 points in a game that already may be tough for the Sixers to top this season, which they’ve started with wins over NBA champions the Knicks and the Eastern Conference finalists Cavaliers.
The Sixers refused to go down without a fight and nearly got into one when Maxey and his former Philadelphia teammate James Harden went nose-to-nose in the fourth before they were separated.
Maxey was relentless on defence and was the catalyst for a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter that gave the Sixers the lead and left the Cavaliers fumbling for answers.
Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points for the Cavs in their season opener.
Australia’s Tyrese Proctor was unable to make any impact in his five minutes of court time for Cleveland.
James flirted in free agency with a third stint in Cleveland, before he signed a two-year deal with the Sixers for the veteran minimum.
He won one of his four NBA titles with the Cavaliers and is trying to add a fifth ring in Philadelphia.
The hype for the home opener was real, with tickets listed on secondary markets for about $US4000 ($A5700) in the lower bowl. The win against the Knicks only cranked up the enthusiasm for the first look in Philly at James and Brown -and they responded with an opener to remember.
The 41-year-old James – accused on Thursday by President Donald Trump of disrespecting the US by not standing still during the national anthem – had his moments.
He brought the crowd to life with an uncontested two-handed jam in the first half and later a bucket off a steal by Maxey.
The Sixers missed 11-of-15 three-pointers and had 14 turnovers (only 12 total against the Knicks) in the first half, and the packed house erupted in boos late in the second period.
Mitchell scored 22 points in the half as the Cavaliers stretched their lead to 29 points. That advantage was gone when Embiid scored seven straight points in the fourth to make it 96-95.
It’s a busy weekend for the 76ers, who play back-to-back games at home – on Saturday against Milwaukee, then on Sunday against Detroit.
The Cavaliers have their home opener on Saturday against Brooklyn.
