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LeBron James scores 8 in his return to Cleveland as the Cavaliers rout the 76ers 119-95, then says any reception after 2010 is ‘easy money’
LeBron James went 3-of-12 for eight points in his first game back in Cleveland with the 76ers, ending a 396-game run of double figures there, as the Cavaliers won 119-95. He said any reception after Dec. 2, 2010 is “easy money.”
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LeBron James got an ovation from the Rocket Arena crowd when he was introduced on Friday night, did his chalk toss at the scorer’s table, and then had one of the quietest games of his career. James scored eight points on 3-of-12 shooting in his first game back in Cleveland as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Cup group game 119-95.
James’ chalk toss and the ovation during starting lineups, posted by Underdog NBA on X.
James missed all four of his threes, made both his free throws and finished with seven rebounds, three assists and six turnovers in 32 minutes. It was only the 10th single-digit scoring game of his 24 regular seasons, and it ended a run of 396 straight regular-season games in Cleveland in which he had scored at least 10. His NBA-record streak of 1,297 straight regular-season games in double figures ended on Dec. 4 last season, with the Lakers at Toronto.
James and the Cavaliers’ rout, posted by NBA on ESPN on X.
“Too many turnovers on my behalf”
James chose Philadelphia in free agency this summer instead of a third stint with Cleveland. Cavaliers fans cheered him before tip, then offered a smattering of boos whenever he touched the ball in the first half. He went to the bench for good with 3:54 left and the game long decided.
Afterward he said he never found a rhythm.
James after the game, posted by Chris Hine on X.
“I definitely [was] not feeling a good rhythm offensively. We didn’t look like much offensively,” James said. “We had a couple spurts. We was able to cut it, I think, to three in the third quarter. But too many turnovers on my behalf.”
Asked whether the turnovers came from miscommunication or mental errors, he said: “A little bit of both. A couple of them were careless, a couple of them were just trying to make the right play and not being successful.” He said the whole offense struggled, “and I know I damn sure wasn’t good at all,” and that the team would look at the film.
“Anything in between is easy money”
James was asked if the warm welcome surprised him, given how his free agency played out. He pointed back to Dec. 2, 2010, his first game in Cleveland after leaving for Miami, when he was booed throughout the night.
“At the end of the day, nothing can get as worse as December 2nd, 2010, from a reception standpoint,” he said. “So I’ve seen damn near the depths of hell when it comes to reception here, all the way to, like, the heavens above. So anything in between is easy money.”
How Cleveland guarded him
The Cavaliers played without Jarrett Allen, who has a bruised right knee, and still outrebounded Philadelphia by 14. Evan Mobley said the plan was to protect the paint, with Joel Embiid the first priority. Embiid went 0-for-9 from the field and scored six points, all at the free-throw line.
Mobley and Mitchell on the defensive plan, posted by the Cavs beat writers on X.
“Joel Embiid was a big point of emphasis, and I think we did a good job on him,” Mobley said. “And LeBron, you know, he’s going to get to his buckets when he gets to them, but he’s also a pass-first [player] as well. So you’ve got to kind of play the middle ground with him, and knowing when to go show help and when not to.”
Donovan Mitchell added: “He’s a hell of a player, but like Evan said, just trying to pack the paint, and knowing that he’s trying to drive to also kick. He had six turnovers, and you give credit where it’s due to our defense as a whole.”
Mitchell said the crowd had every right to cheer James before the game. “He’s a champion, he’s from here, and he deserves all that and more for what he’s done for the city,” he said, but added that for the current Cavaliers, facing him has “become normal.”
The rest of the night
Mitchell had 23 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, Mobley scored 22 on 8-of-13 shooting and James Harden had 17. Mario Hezonja had 15 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, and Peyton Watson, back from right hamstring tightness, had 13 points and nine rebounds. Cleveland led 46-30 early in the second quarter and by as many as 25 in the fourth, and is 5-4 after two straight losses to Oklahoma City.
Jaylen Brown led the 76ers with 20 points, VJ Edgecombe had 19 with four steals and Tyrese Maxey scored 17. Philadelphia shot 36.5% from the field and 10-of-40 from three and is 8-2, with its second loss of the season.
The Cavaliers host the Knicks on Saturday. The 76ers play at Chicago on Sunday.
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