Friday, October 23, 2026
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52 ° Clear
Excitement filled the air as LeBron James and Jaylen Brown took the court for the Sixers' home opener. That excitement quickly faded as the home crowd began booing the team and the halftime entertainment, but it returned tenfold as Philadelphia stormed back in the second half.
By the final buzzer, the Sixers had completed a remarkable comeback, and there was plenty to take away from the performance.
Here's what stood out.
The Sixers simply couldn't find a rhythm in the first half, as their only effective offense came from Tyrese Maxey bailing them out. Philadelphia was clearly frustrated with the officiating, but its problems were far larger, headlined by 15 first-half turnovers. There are a lot of new pieces in this offense, but even Maxey and Embiid struggled to connect at times.
Occasionally, LeBron would find a cutting Edgecombe for a look at the rim — an encouraging sign of their budding chemistry as a duo — but the Sixers largely struggled to move the ball in the half-court.
The team continued to try and force the ball to Embiid in the first half. Plenty of those looks came in isolation against Evan Mobley, which was about as effective as trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. As Embiid struggled offensively, the Sixers' offense grew increasingly stagnant.
After starting the second half down 24, the Sixers found their footing, going on an 11-0 run that featured every member of the starting lineup except Maxey finding the bottom of the net. The entire team showed renewed fire, but one of the most notable changes was the level of aggression LeBron played with.
James looked rather passive through his first six quarters with the Sixers, but answered the call at halftime, taking the reins of the offense. He matched his five first-half shot attempts less than four minutes into the third quarter as part of the Sixers' 37-21 advantage in the period.
Philadelphia continued to apply pressure in the fourth.
The offense returned to feeding Embiid at the nail, but the former MVP was far more decisive in the second half, making him much more effective. The Sixers took the lead midway through the fourth quarter, and Nick Nurse had a tough choice to make. Embiid needed a breather before closing the game, but the team had struggled mightily without him on the court. With little choice, Nurse checked Embiid out for Bona, but this time, the Sixers didn't miss a beat.
Once Embiid checked out, it was Jaylen Brown's turn to take over, as Philadelphia tacked on another six consecutive points, extending its fourth-quarter run to 13-0 and forcing a Cleveland timeout.
As impressive as the offensive effort was in the second half, the Sixers' defense, which Nick Nurse has emphasized since training camp, was relentless on every trip down the court. Philadelphia refused to allow Cleveland to get to its spots, contested seemingly every shot down the stretch and, as usual, clogged the passing lanes to create transition opportunities.
Down the stretch, it was Brown and Maxey closing out the Cavs as the Sixers outscored Cleveland 69-37 in the second half, completing one of their most memorable home-opening comebacks in years.
This is the second straight game in which the Sixers looked significantly more engaged in the third quarter. What was their Achilles' heel last season has so far been a strength, but there's no guarantee they can consistently flip this switch. It's still early in the season, but they need to find a way to start with a higher baseline of energy.
VJ Edgecombe is proving valuable beyond his years for the Sixers. For the second straight game, the 21-year-old guard was in the ear of a Sixers star, not chastising, but encouraging them to be smart in the moment. Edgecombe is playing a veteran role despite being in just his second season, and the Sixers are fortunate to have such a voice at his age.
Don't forget the five-count Chick-fil-A nuggets, courtesy of Jarrett Allen.
The Sixers will return to Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday night as their three-game homestand continues against Tyler Herro and the Milwaukee Bucks. Nick Nurse will have a rest decision to make for his starters, as the game is the first of a back-to-back.
Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 24.
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