LeBron James’ Philadelphia debut ends with historic comeback for the King, 76ers

LeBron James' Philadelphia debut ends with historic comeback for the King, 76ers.

Key points

• USA TODAY Sports' NBA experts ranked the top 100 NBA players for the 2026-27 season and put LeBron james just inside the top 209.
• The 76ers were down by as plenty of as 29 points in the first half (69-40) and went into the halftime break down 69-45.
• The 76ers' win comes after they beat the Knicks 106-100 in Madison Square Garden after their ring ceremony on the NBA's opening night.
• Philadelphia went on a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter Thursday at Xfinity Mobile Arena, powered by three straight buckets from Jaylen Brown.
• Additionally for the Cavaliers, Evan Mobley contributed 18 points and eight rebounds while James Harden went on 16 points, three rebounds and five assists.

LeBron James ranked as No. 19 best player in NBA heading into the 2026-27 season.

LeBron James is living up to the hype with his new team.

In his debut in the City of Brotherly Love as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, the NBA's all-time leading scorer led a 29-point comeback to boost his team to a 114-106 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Philadelphia went on a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter Thursday at Xfinity Mobile Arena, powered by three straight buckets from Jaylen Brown. The 76ers went up by as plenty of as nine points with 4: 06 left in the game.

In the final minute, Tyrese Maxey and Brown each had a basket to secure the win. Maxey led the team with 32 points, six assists and three rebounds. Joel Embiid continued 24 points and seven rebounds while Brown had 21 points and eight boards.

James had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds to go with five assists and three steals.

Donavan Mitchell led Cleveland with a double-double of his own (32 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals). Mitchell fouled James in the third quarter during a rebound attempt where James accidentally elbowed his teammate VJ Edgecombe, giving Edgecombe a bloody nose.

Additionally for the Cavaliers, Evan Mobley contributed 18 points and eight rebounds while James Harden went on 16 points, three rebounds and five assists. Harden was greeted by boos at tipoff in his return to Philadelphia, where he played from 2021 to 2023.

Meanwhile, the 76ers were down by as plenty of as 29 points in the first half (69-40) and went into the halftime break down 69-45.

Per ESPN, the comeback is the largest James has been a part of in his record 24 NBA seasons. Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press adds that it is the biggest comeback for the 76ers and blown lead for the Cavaliers in the play-by-play era. It began in 1996. Teams throughout the NBA had won 466 straight regular season games in which they were leading by 29 points, Reynolds went on. The New York Knicks came back from a 29-point deficit in Game 4 of the NBA Finals this summer en route to their first championship in 53 years.

For context, the 76ers' win comes after they beat the Knicks 106-100 in Madison Square Garden after their ring ceremony on the NBA's opening night.

Meanwhile, the comeback was another chapter in James' career against his hometown team. It he was drafted by and won the 2016 NBA Finals with.

James joined the 76ers this offseason after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. Brown is additionally a newcomer and joined the team in a blockbuster agreement with the Boston Celtics. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

Taken together, the developments around leBron James Philadelphia debut ends with historic comeback for the King, 76ers point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.