76ers Overcome 29-Point Deficit to Beat Cavaliers 114-106

Philadelphia rallied from a 29-point deficit to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 in its regular-season home opener on Thursday, overcoming a disastrous first half with a decisive second-half surge. The victory marked the largest comeback of LeBron James' 24-year NBA career and gave the 76ers a memorable win in front of their home crowd. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 32 points and six assists, while Joel Embiid contributed 24 points and seven rebounds.

Jaylen Brown added 21 points and eight rebounds, and James finished with 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals. The comeback overturned an extraordinary historical trend. According to ESPN, teams entering halftime with leads of at least 20 points had won all 65 of their season openers dating back to the 1954-55 shot-clock era.

The Cavaliers had previously won all 155 games in which they held a 29-point lead, while Philadelphia had lost all 156 games in which it faced that deficit.

Associated Press reporter Tim Reynolds also reported that NBA teams had won 466 consecutive regular-season games after establishing leads of at least 29 points.

Philadelphia seized its first lead at 96-95 with approximately five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Embiid scored seven consecutive points to complete the turnaround, and Brown followed with a fadeaway jumper, a driving layup between two defenders and a midrange basket to extend the advantage to seven points. The 76ers began their comeback immediately after halftime, scoring 11 points in the opening 90 seconds of the third quarter to reduce Cleveland's advantage to 13. Maxey added a fast-break layup and a three-pointer, cutting the margin to seven and prompting home fans to chant "trust the process."

Cleveland briefly regained control, reaching a 90-82 advantage late in the third quarter. However, Philadelphia continued to apply pressure and completed the comeback in the final period. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 32 points and 10 rebounds. He missed two free throws with 1:19 remaining that could have brought the Cavaliers within two points, leaving the visitors unable to close the gap.

James Harden scored 16 points and recorded five assists for Cleveland. Evan Mobley, who scored 15 points in the first half, managed only three after the break, while Jarrett Allen did not score in the second half. Cleveland had established its dominance early, turning an 11-11 tie into a 12-0 run that developed into a 24-7 surge by the end of the first quarter.

The Cavaliers outscored Philadelphia 34-27 in the second quarter and carried a 24-point lead into halftime, drawing boos from the home crowd at Xfinity Mobile Center. Mobley and Allen had controlled the interior during the opening half, exploiting Philadelphia's limited size beyond Embiid. The 76ers center had nine points on 3-of-10 shooting at halftime before becoming a key contributor to the recovery.

Philadelphia's comeback also overshadowed a pregame handshake and dance between Embiid and James during player introductions. Rookie VJ Edgecombe recorded 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals, although Embiid left him hanging during their pregame interaction.

The 76ers are scheduled to continue their homestand against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. Cleveland will host the Brooklyn Nets for its home opener.