76ers Rally From 29 Down to Win James’s Home Debut

The Philadelphia 76ers erased a 29-point deficit to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 in LeBron James’s first home game for the team, marking the largest comeback of his NBA career. The victory also set the 76ers’ biggest comeback in the play-by-play era, which began in 1996-97. Philadelphia trailed 69-45 at halftime after struggling with turnovers and drawing boos from home fans. The team rallied after the break, outscoring Cleveland 69-37 in the second half. The 76ers took their first lead with less than seven minutes remaining, then held on after the Cavaliers closed the gap to four points. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 32 points, while Joel Embiid scored 24. James finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Jaylen Brown added 21 points, including 17 after halftime. For Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, Evan Mobley had 18 and Jarrett Allen added 14. The game followed Philadelphia’s 106-100 win over the New York Knicks on the season’s opening night. James, who joined the 76ers on a two-year contract after eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, described the home debut as everything he had dreamed of and more. He also said the...