LeBron held to single digits for only 10th time on Cleveland return — SkimNews
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- LeBron James scored eight points, made 3 of 12 shots, missed all four three-pointers and committed six turnovers in 31 minutes as Philadelphia lost 119-95 to Cleveland in an NBA Cup group-stage game; it was his 10th single-digit scoring game in 1,630 NBA regular-season games.
- Cleveland Cavaliers fans booed James on every touch during the first half, while the team provided no video tribute; during his previous visit, highlights of his 25 straight points in Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons had prompted him to tear up.
- LeBron James said nothing gets as bad as his Dec. 2, 2010 reception in Cleveland, adding that reactions there had ranged from "the depths of hell" to "the heavens above," making anything in between "easy money."
- LeBron James spent 11 seasons over two Cleveland stints, leaving in 2010, returning in 2014 and departing again in 2018, before choosing Philadelphia in the offseason rather than returning for a third Cleveland stint.
- Philadelphia 76ers entered with the NBA's best record but fell to 8-2 after the defeat; Nick Nurse called them "lacklustre" against a Cavaliers team he expected to be "very, very good" after two tough losses, with his attention already turning to Sunday's game at the Chicago Bulls.
- LeBron James is 9-5 in Cleveland as a visitor but has lost his last three trips, making this his second-worst defeat there; Philadelphia returns to Cleveland on March 1.
Why it matters: Philadelphia’s NBA-best record became 8-2 after the 119-95 loss, with James making 3 of 12 shots and committing six turnovers. Cleveland’s win also featured first-half boos and no video tribute for James, while the 76ers are scheduled to return on March 1.
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