Cavaliers open at Philadelphia as 76ers chase a 2-0 start
Philadelphia is 1-0 and hosts Cleveland, which plays its first game of the season, on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Cavaliers won all four meetings last season, and both teams have players listed as out or day-to-day.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 2 h ago01The story of the nightThe stakes and the formPhiladelphia is 1-0 after a 106-100 win at New York on Oct.
Philadelphia is 1-0 after a 106-100 win at New York on Oct. 20. Before that, the 76ers lost three straight: 125-120 to Boston at home, 144-106 at Boston and 114-108 at Brooklyn. Cleveland is 0-0 and starts its record here. The Cavaliers lost 132-116 at Orlando on Oct. 13, two days after beating Orlando 119-105. This matchup has gone Cleveland's way lately. The Cavaliers won all four meetings last season, including a 133-107 win in Philadelphia on Jan. 14 and a 117-115 win there two nights later. Philadelphia comes in with 1 day of rest.
02Who is in and who is outPhiladelphia lists two players as out: Dominick Barlow (back) and Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles).
Philadelphia lists two players as out: Dominick Barlow (back) and Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles). Tacko Fall (left hip) and Dean Wade (ankle) are day-to-day. For Cleveland, Nae'Qwan Tomlin is out with a back injury. Khalifa Diop (left knee) and Sam Merrill (right elbow) are day-to-day. Philadelphia's likely five, based on starts and minutes this season, is Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe, LeBron James and Joel Embiid. Cleveland's expected five is projected from last season's minutes with the current roster: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Peyton Watson and Jarrett Allen.
03The matchup to watchStart with the backcourt.
Start with the backcourt. Maxey leads Philadelphia at 39.6 minutes this season, and Edgecombe is at 34.8. They are likely to see a lot of Harden, who averaged 34.8 minutes last season, and Mitchell, who averaged 33.5. Inside, Embiid (33.4 minutes) goes against Mobley (31.9) and Allen (27.1), the pair that anchored Cleveland's frontcourt last season. On the wings, Brown (34.9) and James (33.8) give Philadelphia size against Watson (29.6). Off the bench, Philadelphia has Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Cleveland can turn to Jaylon Tyson, Craig Porter Jr. and Mario Hezonja.
04How to watch and whenTip-off is at 7 p.m.
Tip-off is at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 22, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. ESPN has the game nationally. No local TV broadcasts are listed for either team, so fans in both markets should go to ESPN. Cleveland opens its season here, and Philadelphia is going for its second win. With four players day-to-day across the two teams (Diop, Merrill, Fall and Wade), check the final injury report before tip-off. The expected starting fives are projections, not announced lineups.