Cleveland opened NBA Cup play with a 119-95 win over Philadelphia, using an early surge and a decisive run around halftime to end the Sixers’ five-game winning streak. Joel Embiid and LeBron James struggled, while Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers despite Jarrett Allen’s absence.

By the Numbers
  • Cavaliers 119, 76ers 95.
  • Cleveland opened with a 19-4 run and later strung together 12 straight points.
  • Embiid scored 6 points on 0-for-9 shooting; James had 8 points on 3-for-12 shooting.
  • Mobley scored 22 points; Mitchell added 23 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds.
  • Cleveland outscored Philadelphia 46-26 in the paint.
Yes, But

The win gives Cleveland an early edge in a competitive East Group B, but the Sixers’ loss came with unusually poor performances from Embiid and James. Philadelphia remains 8-2 overall, and its only other defeat came while Embiid and V.J. Edgecombe were out on the second night of a back-to-back.

State of Play
  • Cleveland is 1-0 in Cup play and holds a +24 point differential in East Group B.
  • Philadelphia is 1-1 in Cup play, with a -19 point differential.
  • The Cavaliers won without center Jarrett Allen, who was sidelined by a knee injury.
Bottom Line

Cleveland made an emphatic first move in group play, showing it can dominate inside even without Allen. Philadelphia’s bigger concern is whether Embiid and James can quickly rebound from a night when the offense—and the paint—belonged to the Cavaliers.