The man who delivered Cleveland its only NBA title got his usual cheers when he was introduced as the last of the 76ers’ starters, but after that Rocket Arena had a surprise for him: no video tribute, a departure from the highlight packages the Cavaliers have run on his previous visits, and a mix of cheers and boos every time he touched the ball during the first half.

James finished 3-of-12 from the floor, missed all four of his three-point attempts, and coughed up six turnovers in 31 minutes. The eight-point night was only the 10th single-digit outing of his 1,630-game NBA regular-season career, the Associated Press reported, and it ended a 396-game streak of scoring in double figures whenever he played in Cleveland, a run that dated back to 30 December 2004.

Cleveland’s seven in double figures

The Cavaliers led throughout. Mitchell added seven rebounds and eight assists in 33 minutes, Mobley finished with 22 points, and seven Cavaliers hit double figures. Packing the paint was the plan, Mitchell told the AP, James went 2-of-6 inside the arc.

“[We were] just trying to pack the paint and knowing that he’s trying to drive but also kick it out. He had six turnovers and you give credit where it’s due to our defense as a whole. And from there we were able to get out and get going,” Mitchell said.

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Jaylen Brown led Philadelphia with 20 points, VJ Edgecombe added 19 and Tyrese Maxey 17. The 76ers’ five-game winning streak ended with the blowout.

James finds no rhythm

James did not point to the surroundings. He said he could not find his shot and credited his own sloppiness.

“Definitely not feeling a good rhythm offensively. We didn’t look like much offensively. We had a couple spurts, but too many turnovers on my behalf,” he told the AP.

Head coach Nick Nurse offered a short verdict to the AP on the 76ers’ night: his team was “lackluster” and Cleveland was “very, very good.”

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Philadelphia’s Cup math gets harder

The defeat is a serious dent in Philadelphia’s group-stage campaign. The 76ers sit in East Group B with the Cavaliers, Knicks, Heat and Pacers, with each team playing the others once. The group winner advances automatically to the quarterfinals, and one wild card is on offer per conference for the best second-placed team.

Philadelphia hosts the Miami Heat in its next Cup fixture on 25 November, before closing group play at Indiana on 27 November. The quarterfinals are 4-5 December, the semifinals 8-9 December, and the championship game is scheduled for 11 December at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

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