76ers Complete 29-Point Comeback To Win Home Opener Against Cavaliers
Oct 22, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) drives for a dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
What a first game of the season at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
After a fantastic first game of the season where the Philadelphia 76ers went into Madison Square Garden and pulled out a huge opening night victory over the defending champion New York Knicks, Philadelphia came out during their home opener and pulled off one of the best comebacks in franchise history.
This game was a tale of two halves, with the first being an offensive masterclass from Cleveland, and the second being the exact same, only the second half was all Philadelphia. The 76ers were down by 29 points at one point in the game, and 24 points heading into the half.
In the second half, Philadelphia managed to cut into the deficit in the third and took the lead for the first time all game, eventually hanging on to complete the comeback and beat the Cavaliers 114-106 for the 76ers’ largest comeback win in the play-by-play era.
Sloppy first-half play, including 14 turnovers, was eventually turned around, as the offense looked completely different in the second half compared to the first. The defense was also much improved after the break, as Philadelphia allowed just 37 points in the second half.
Tyrese Maxey was unstoppable all night, leading the way with 32 points, while LeBron James added 17 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists for his first double-double of the season. Jaylen Brown added 21 points, but 10 of them came in the fourth quarter. The entire 76ers starting lineup combined for 105 of the 76ers’ 114 points.
While things eventually got out of hand for Philadelphia, the game started like an even back-and-forth matchup. Jarrett Allen and Donovan Mitchell got the scoring going for Cleveland, while a LeBron James three and four points from Tyrese Maxey made it 11-11 midway through the first quarter.
Following a bucket from Maxey to tie the game, the Cavaliers went on a 12-0 run to break out to their first big lead of the evening. Five points from former 76er James Harden got the run going for Cleveland, and buckets from Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Sam Merrill kept it going.
While an Adem Bona layup ended the 76ers scoreless run, the Cavs kept coming with bucket after bucket. Mitchell and Mario Hezonja combined for 13 points over the final 2:22 of the first quarter, making it a 24-7 run for Cleveland to end the first quarter.
The shots were just not falling for the 76ers, and the turnovers were already at double digits, while Mobley was finding his shot in the paint. Maxey seemed like he was the only 76er who could knock down a shot, while Mitchell began taking over in the second quarter.
Possession after possession, Mitchell was unguardable, increasing Cleveland’s lead to 29 at one-point while also playing solid defense on the other end. Maxey and VJ Edgecombe were able to hit a few clutch shots before the first half ended, but the deficit remained at 24 for the 76ers at the half.
Out of the break, the 76ers finally got some consistent offense going, opening the second half with an 11-0 run. Jaylen Brown drilled a long three to open things up, back-to-back and-one layups from Edgecombe and James, and another normal layup from Joel Embiid, instantly made it a 13-point game.
Back-and-forth both teams went following the quick start for the 76ers, but James and Embiid continued to tack away at the Cavaliers’ lead. They managed to get the deficit into the teens, and five straight points, including a long three from Maxey, cut the deficit to seven.
Free throws from James, Maxey, and Anfernee Simons made it a two-point game with three minutes left in the third, but a 6-0 run from Cleveland to close out the quarter made it 90-82 Cleveland.
With 12 minutes to play, the 76ers’ offensive attack wasn’t stopping. Maxey and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope knocked down early buckets to get things started, and Embiid finally got hot, scoring six straight, giving the 76ers their first lead of the game.
Once they got the lead, Phialdelphia didn’t look back, as the defense continued to lock all windows and doors, and the offense led by Brown and Maxey grew the lead. Brown, who was quiet for the majority of the game, got hot, scoring on three straight possessions, increasing the 76ers’ lead to nearly double digits.
With under two minutes to play, Embiid, Maxey, and Embiid all knocked down buckets to keep the lead, and after playing free-throw games for about a minute, a long missed three from Mitchell officially iced the game, with Maxey dribbling out the clock and the 76ers winning 114-106. The 29-point comeback was the largest comeback win in the play-by-play era and the largest comeback win in the career of LeBron James.
Matt Brown
Matt has been a Philadelphia sports fan all his life and spent four years at Penn State University majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minoring in Sports Studies. He previously covered Penn State’s field hockey, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball teams while writing for a Penn State blog called Onward State. He has now covered the Phillies, Eagles, and Sixers for Philly Sports Reports since October 2024 and wants to pursue a career in Sports Journalism.
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