The Cleveland Cavaliers handed the Philadelphia 76ers a 119-95 defeat on November 7, 2026, during an NBA Cup matchup at Rocket Arena, snapping a five-game winning streak for Philadelphia. The game marked LeBron James’s first appearance in Cleveland since joining the 76ers, where he struggled alongside an uncharacteristically scoreless Joel Embiid.
East Group B action in the 2026 NBA Cup saw the Cleveland Cavaliers seize control early. Cleveland opened the contest with a 19-4 run against the Philadelphia 76ers and effectively sealed the outcome with a 12-0 run spanning the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth. The 119-95 victory dropped Philadelphia to 8-2 overall and 1-1 in Cup play, handing the Sixers their second loss in 13 days.
LeBron James Struggles in Cleveland Return
During his initial outing in Cleveland wearing a Sixers uniform, LeBron James logged 32 minutes of action, recording eight points by shooting 3-of-12 alongside six turnovers, three assists, and seven rebounds. The 41-year-old forward missed all four of his three-point attempts, marking only the 11th time in 1,630 career games that he scored fewer than 10 points.
The arena environment changed as the game unfolded. Although supporters in Cleveland initially offered a friendly welcome when starting lineups were announced, recognizing his history with the town and his part in delivering the club’s inaugural NBA title back in 2016, the crowd switched to jeering whenever James gained possession of the ball.
Before tip-off, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse anticipated a high-energy environment. We’ve been talking about it for a couple days, and should be a great energy and atmosphere in there. So, should be fun,
Nurse said.
Instead, James and his fellow starters found themselves outpaced. The Sixers were outscored 46-26 in the paint before James and the rest of the starting lineup left the floor for good.
Joel Embiid’s Scoring Drought and Cavaliers’ Balanced Attack
Philadelphia big man Joel Embiid suffered through what was termed his toughest performance of the year, tallying 6 points via 0-of-9 shooting to go with 2 turnovers, 2 blocks, and 7 rebounds. Matched up against Evan Mobley for stretches of the evening, Embiid failed to establish a rhythm or draw his usual volume of fouls.
Prior to the matchup, Nurse expressed confidence in Embiid’s shooting capabilities. I’m very surprised by it,
Nurse said of Embiid’s shooting woes. I think he’s a great shooter. I think he’s probably, in my mind, he’s almost upper 30s, even 40 percent three-point shooter, and he’s certainly far away from that right now. He’s a great shooter. He’s got all the tools and things to be a great shooter. I would imagine that’ll work itself out and level itself out as we go there.
While Philadelphia struggled without injured center Jarrett Allen missing for Cleveland due to a knee issue, the Cavaliers generated offense through Donovan Mitchell, who recorded 23 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. Evan Mobley added 22 points on 13 shots, along with six rebounds and four assists, steering Cleveland to a dominant 119-95 win that reshapes the East Group B standings.
Earlier coverage: Lakers Host Trail Blazers as 76ers Seek Historic Start in NBA Cup