76ers erase 29-point deficit to beat Cavaliers 114-106; Maxey scores 32

The Philadelphia 76ers came back from 29 points down to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 in their home opener on Thursday, October 22, 2026. Tyrese Maxey scored 32 points, Joel Embiid added 24 and LeBron James — playing his first home game for Philadelphia against the club where he won a title — had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the biggest comeback win of his career. The Sixers are now 2-0.

What happened

Cleveland, playing its season opener, was close to perfect early. Donovan Mitchell scored 22 of his 32 points in the first half, the Cavaliers led by 17 after the first quarter and by as many as 29 before halftime, and they went into the break ahead 69-45. Philadelphia missed 11 of its 15 three-point attempts in the first half and committed 14 turnovers.

The second half was a different game. The Sixers won the third quarter 37-21 to cut the gap to 90-82, then held Cleveland to just 16 points in the fourth. Embiid scored seven straight points to tie the game at 95 and then put Philadelphia ahead 96-95, part of a 15-0 run that gave the hosts the lead for good. Tempers flared late, when Maxey and his former teammate James Harden went face to face and had to be separated.

Score by quarter	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Cleveland Cavaliers	35	34	21	16	106
Philadelphia 76ers	18	27	37	32	114

Top performers	Team	Points	Other
Tyrese Maxey	PHI	32	6 assists, 12-of-23 shooting
Donovan Mitchell	CLE	32	10 rebounds
Joel Embiid	PHI	24	7 rebounds
Jaylen Brown	PHI	21	8 rebounds, 4 assists
Evan Mobley	CLE	18	8 rebounds
LeBron James	PHI	17	10 rebounds, 5 assists
James Harden	CLE	16	5 assists, 6 turnovers

Both teams struggled from long range — Cleveland made 7 of 29 threes and Philadelphia 7 of 28 — and Cleveland's 21 turnovers proved costly as the lead disappeared.

Background

James, 41, won one of his four NBA championships with Cleveland in 2016. He considered a third spell with the Cavaliers in the off-season but instead signed a two-year veteran-minimum contract with Philadelphia, joining Maxey, Embiid and Jaylen Brown in a rebuilt line-up chasing a title. Harden, who played alongside Maxey in Philadelphia, is now with Cleveland.

The Sixers opened their season with a win over the reigning champion New York Knicks, so they have now beaten both of last season's Eastern Conference finalists. Before Thursday, James had never won a game in which his team trailed by 29 points or more. The second-half turnaround — 69-37 — was also one of the largest comebacks in Philadelphia's history.

Reactions

Demand for the home opener was huge, with lower-bowl tickets listed for around $4,000 on resale sites, and fans who stayed through the first half saw the second-largest comeback in the franchise's history. Not everything went smoothly: viewers complained that a new arena lighting system gave the court a blue tint on the television broadcast. Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson has spoken openly this autumn about his disappointment at missing out on bringing James back, which added edge to the match-up.

Why it matters

Early-season games rarely decide much, but Thursday's result suggests Philadelphia's star-heavy roster can recover when its shooting goes cold — a key question after injuries wrecked recent seasons for Embiid. For Cleveland, a top contender in the East, losing a 29-point lead in its opener raises early questions about closing games, especially with Harden's six turnovers.

What happens next

The 76ers play back-to-back home games this weekend, against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday and the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. The Cavaliers host the Brooklyn Nets in their home opener on Saturday.