LeBron James is making his return to Cleveland after choosing not to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason.

Cleveland is coming off two straight losses to the Thunder; now the Cavs have to deal with arguably the best team in the NBA.

This is also the first night of another back-to-back for the team and tomorrow they will host the Knicks.

Philadelphia 76ers

Philly is 8-1. They have won five in a row, with their only loss being to the Detroit Pistons, whom they just beat on Wednesday.

Tyrese Maxey is leading the team, averaging 28 points a game, with Jaylen Brown at 21.8 points himself. Leaving Maxey as the primary scorer was the best decision for this team; his play style is the most important, with his speed and efficiency.

LeBron James is having his lowest statistical scoring season, but his playmaking is now amongst the best in the league. He is averaging nearly eight assists per game 

The offense of the 76ers is not what you would imagine it is, given their record. Offensively, they rank 20th in offensive rating and points per game.

Cleveland is better than them in every offensive category; it is just that their defense is so insanely good that it takes over. They play the passing lanes and score off of transition in a ton of opportunities.

That transition scoring is one of the Cavs' biggest weaknesses. Same as last year and specifically in the playoffs.

Best Gameplan

Surprisingly, there is a team statistically worse than the Cavs in grabbing rebounds. Getting into the paint and getting offensive rebounds is going to be a good choice. You risk that transition scoring, but the team sucks at stopping that anyways.

If you remember what happened in their first matchup, Cleveland stopped playing at the basket and then blew a near 30-point lead. If it is working, they need to keep that going.

With a long injury list, new players are going to need to step up, and Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley need to be at their best.

Where to catch the 76ers at Cavs game?

Channel: Prime Video

Time: 7:30 p.m.

76ers at Cavaliers predictions, odds, best bets

Odds: Philadelphia -2.5

O/U: 230.5

Best Bet: Donovan Mitchell 30+ Points +240

Cavaliers 115, 76ers 104: This time around, the Cavaliers should be able to build a lead and keep it. The biggest worry is that momentum is not on their side. With those two losses, confidence may be low.

However, Donovan Mitchell and the team enjoys playing in front of the home fans and has played better at home, notably over the last two seasons.

Kenny Atkinson’s job may be on the hot seat right now. It’s still early in the season, but if things do not get better soon, it may become a reality.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 

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