In Cleveland return, James finishes with just eight points in 76ers' loss — SkimNews
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- LeBron James had one of his worst games, finishing with eight points on 3-for-12 shooting and seven turnovers; his performance ended a 22-year streak of 10-point games in Cleveland, and his previous sub-10-point game there came Dec. 29, 2004.
- Joel Embiid scored six points on 0-for-9 shooting, with only one worse shooting performance in his career—a 0-for-11 effort at the Raptors six years earlier.
- Joel Embiid and LeBron James became the third former-MVP duo in NBA history to each score in single digits and shoot 25% or worse in the same game.
- Cleveland fans gave James a standing ovation and louder roars than all Cavaliers starters during his first return since leaving the team in free agency.
- Kenny Atkinson said he was “depressed” for the first day or two after Cleveland lost out on James in free agency.
- LeBron James called Friday’s reception “easy money” compared with Dec. 2, 2010, when Cleveland booed him after The Decision before his 38-point, 118-90 Miami Heat rout.
Why it matters: Cleveland won 119-96, and James’s night ended a 22-year Cleveland scoring streak. Embiid’s 0-for-9 also made the 76ers’ two former MVPs the third duo in NBA history to each score in single digits and shoot 25% or worse, while Philadelphia remained 8-2.
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