LeBron James' return to Cleveland turned into a lopsided Cup defeat, and the Cavaliers avenged an October collapse against the Sixers. The margin of victory lifted Cleveland to the top of East Group B on point differential.

LeBron James’ return to Cleveland became one of the quietest nights of his career. The Cavaliers held the 41-year-old to a single-digit scoring night in a lopsided Cup win over Philadelphia. James went 0-for-4 from three-point range in 31 minutes. He added seven rebounds and three assists.

Fans booed James whenever he touched the ball in the first half. He had chosen Philadelphia over a third stint in Cleveland, and this game had been circled for months. Across 1,630 regular-season games, James has now finished in single digits just 10 times. He said he never found a rhythm on offense. He also took the blame for the giveaways, calling them “too many turnovers on my behalf.”

James is now 9-5 as a visiting player in Cleveland. He has lost on each of his last three trips there.

Cleveland finally played a full game after October collapse

The win carried weight for a team that opened 4-4. On Oct. 22, Philadelphia came back from 29 points down to beat Cleveland 114-106.

Cleveland led 33-22 after the first quarter and 62-54 at halftime. It won the third quarter 29-20 and the fourth 28-21. The lead grew to as many as 25.

The scoring was spread around, with seven Cavaliers finishing in double figures. Cleveland turned 16 Philadelphia turnovers into 24 points. It also outrebounded the Sixers by 14, even with center Jarrett Allen sitting out with a bruised right knee. The win followed two straight losses to Oklahoma City.

Philadelphia had entered with the league’s best record. The Sixers now carry a setback into the rest of Cup play.

The margin puts the Cavaliers atop a loaded East Group B

Point differential matters in this format, and Cleveland’s rout paid off immediately. The Cavaliers lead East Group B at 1-0 with a +24 differential. Miami is also 1-0, at +20. Philadelphia sits at 1-1 with a -19 differential. New York is 0-1 at -5, and Indiana is 0-1 at -20.

ESPN calls the group the ‘Group of Death.’ It describes all five teams as favorites to win the conference in 2026-27. That list includes the Knicks, who won both the NBA Cup and the Finals last season.

Each team plays one game against the other four teams in its group. The six group winners advance to the knockout round. So does the best non-winner from each conference. In a group this tight, a lopsided win could prove decisive.

Cleveland’s next Cup game is at Miami on Nov. 13, the other unbeaten team in the group. The Cavaliers then host Indiana on Nov. 20.