The Cleveland Cavaliers showed the team they have the potential to be in their promising win over the Philadelphia 76ers, 133-107.
The Cleveland Cavaliers followed up their disappointing loss on Monday with an encouraging victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, with a final score of 133-107.
Here are three observations from this optimistic performance from the Wine and Gold.
Cavaliers Set The Tone Early
The Cavaliers set the tone right out of the gate with a strong first quarter in which Cleveland outscored Philadelphia 33-18. The first 12 minutes laid the foundation for what the 76ers had to deal with the rest of the night.
In the first quarter, the Cavaliers scored 11 second-chance points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and scored 11 points off turnovers.
Those are all the areas Kenny Atkinson has been stressing Cleveland needs to improve, and the Cavs showed right away they have the capability to do so against a solid team.
Cavaliers Dominate The Paint
It was clear coming into the game that the team that ultimately would win the contest would also win the battle in the paint. Thankfully, Cleveland’s big men showed up and asserted their dominance
The Cavaliers outscored the 76ers 48-32 in the paint, and also won the rebound battle, grabbing 10 more boards (52) than Philadelphia (46).
Jan 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) dunks the ball in front of Philadelphia 76ers forward Trendon Watford (12) during the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesYes, the offense underneath the basket was encouraging, but Cleveland also played phenomenal defense against Joel Embiid. The Cavs held the former MVP to just 20 points, below his season average.
Going up against a lineup with some size, such as Embiid, Andre Drummond, Dominick Barlow, and VJ Edgecombe, Cleveland had to win the hustle game to dominate the paint. To Cleveland’s credit, they did just that.
Cavaliers’ Season-High In Assists
Cleveland’s offense was as efficient as we’ve seen it all season, even with both Darius Garland and Sam Merrill leaving early in the game with injuries.
The key to this efficiency was the Cavaliers' ball movement. The Cavaliers ended up totaling 41 assists, a new season high for this group. The Wine and Gold will always play its best basketball when it’s moving the ball around the half-court until it finds the open man.
With six players scoring in double figures, including De'Andre Hunter (17), who needed a big game, it was clear the gameplan was to get everyone involved, and Cleveland’s assist numbers back that up.