The Philadelphia 76ers host the Cleveland Cavaliers in their home opener Thursday night, fresh off a big win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
Cleveland will be making its season debut, while the Sixers look to build on their opening-night victory and improve to 2-0.
Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (0-0) at Philadelphia 76ers (1-0)
When: Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia
Watch: ESPN
The Sixers opened their season Tuesday night in New York, watching the Knicks receive their championship rings and raise their banner. By the end of the night, the crowd had been silenced, the Knicks were on the losing end, and the Sixers were headed back to Philadelphia with a statement victory.
While a first-game victory means little in the grand scheme, having LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe on the court together certainly raises expectations. The Sixers are looking to contend for a championship this season, and Tuesday was an encouraging first step. After a disjointed start, Philadelphia found its rhythm late in the first half and carried that momentum into the second.
The team's shooting was poor overall as the players continued adjusting to one another, but the Sixers recorded 28 assists on 37 made field goals — an encouraging sign for a roster featuring so many stars. Their chemistry improved as the game progressed, and they pushed the pace while disrupting New York's passing lanes.
The scoring may have been lower than expected, but the Sixers have reason to believe their offense will improve as the team gains experience playing together.
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The Cavaliers will look to improve on last season's fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference with a roster that closely resembles last year's group. Donovan Mitchell signed a four-year extension, James Harden signed a three-year deal to stay in Cleveland, and the team traded Max Strus for Peyton Watson, who signed a four-year deal.
With relatively few changes, Cleveland is counting on Mitchell and Harden to generate enough offense for its imposing frontcourt duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen to thrive at both ends of the floor.
The Cavaliers have built around Mitchell, Mobley and Allen, but the group hasn't produced the postseason results Cleveland hoped for after leading the conference just two years ago. The team will also look for third-year guard Jaylon Tyson to take another step forward after shooting 44.6% from three, fourth-best in the league, and averaging 13.2 points per game last season.
Cleveland will need that outside shooting, particularly with Harden and Mitchell carrying much of the offensive workload.
With the Knicks, Celtics and Pistons remaining competitive and the Sixers, Heat and Raptors revamping their rosters, Cleveland faces a tougher Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers are relying on an older core with questionable depth, which could make it harder to keep pace with the competition.
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Jarrett Allen is questionable for Cleveland, while Dean Wade is questionable for Philadelphia. Beyond those two, both teams appear positioned to have most of their rosters available.
The Sixers are expected to stick with their star-studded starting lineup as they look to improve to 2-0 in the home debuts of James and Brown. Philadelphia's two biggest offseason acquisitions have their sights set on a championship, and they'll want to put on a show for the home crowd.
The Cavaliers ranked among the NBA's top 10 scoring teams last season, but their defense finished closer to the middle of the pack. With so many offensive options, the new-look Sixers will look to increase their scoring output and put pressure on Cleveland's defense.
Against the Knicks, the Sixers were able to get Karl-Anthony Towns into early foul trouble. Few expected Andre Drummond's impressive first-half performance, either.
Ultimately, the Sixers settled in behind Embiid, whose renewed defensive energy was evident as he finished with 11 rebounds and three blocks. Cleveland's frontcourt of Allen and Mobley will provide a tougher test, but Embiid will look to build on his strong defensive performance against New York.
Elsewhere, Cleveland will have its hands full keeping up with Brown, Edgecombe and Maxey. Harden's defensive limitations could give the Sixers opportunities to attack favorable matchups throughout the night.
After what Philadelphia saw from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anfernee Simons on Tuesday, the second unit also looks capable of providing a scoring boost. That could present problems for a Cavaliers team whose depth remains a concern.
The stars will take center stage in their first home game of the season, but look for Edgecombe to provide some of the biggest highlights and remind everyone why he shouldn't be overlooked.
Sixers 121, Cavaliers 113
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