76ers Complete Historic Comeback to Defeat Cavaliers

The Philadelphia 76ers secured a remarkable 114-106 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 22 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, improving their record to 2-0 in the 2026-27 NBA season. Philadelphia accomplished the feat by overcoming a deficit of as many as 29 points during their home season opener.

Ahead of the matchup, the 76ers confirmed their star-studded starting lineup consisting of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid. The team entered the contest following a 106-100 win over the defending champion New York Knicks.

Despite the victory, the squad played without forward Dean Wade, who was ruled out due to an ankle injury. The absence delayed Wade's regular-season debut for Philadelphia and postponed a reunion with the Cavaliers, the franchise where he spent his first seven professional seasons.

The game appeared firmly in Cleveland's control during the first half before the home side engineered a dramatic shift in momentum. Philadelphia seized control of the contest during a dominant third quarter, outscoring the visitors 37-21. James spearheaded the offensive charge in the period by contributing 10 points.

The momentum carried directly into the final frame as the 76ers poured in 32 points while locking down defensively to hold Cleveland to just 16 points. Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey combined for 18 points in the fourth quarter alone, while the team's defense forced seven turnovers from the Cavaliers down the stretch.

Tyrese Maxey paced the winning effort with 32 points, while center Joel Embiid added 24 points. Jaylen Brown contributed 21 points and LeBron James finished with 17 points to help cap off the improbable rally.

According to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, the triumph stands as the largest comeback victory of LeBron James' illustrious career since he entered the league in 2003. Furthermore, historical data indicates it is the biggest comeback win for the Philadelphia franchise since the play-by-play era began in the 1996-97 season.

For Cleveland, the devastating loss goes into the record books as the largest meltdown suffered by the franchise over that same span. The undefeated 76ers will look to build upon their historic win as the early weeks of the NBA regular season continue.