The Cleveland Cavaliers (26-9) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (4-36) 95-85 on Sunday.
The Cavs likely got more than they bargained for from a game Sixers squad that played them tough through all four quarters. Philadelphia's collective defensive effort may have been the most surprising aspect of the game overall, as they managed to hold a hot Cleveland offense to a mediocre 38.9 percent shooting performance from the field, and 28.1 percent from beyond the arc. To provide some more tangible perspective on the noteworthiness of the Sixers' effort, one has to realize the Cavs had tallied 53.1 and 48.1 percent figures, respectively, in those same categories against the Timberwolves in their most recent contest, and had also scored over 120 points in their two previous games.
Cleveland was able to pull out the hard-fought victory on the back of LeBron James, who turned in a 37-point, seven-rebound, nine-assist effort that also included a pair of steals. The other starters' scoring contributions paled in comparison, as Kevin Love was the next closest with 15 points. However, Love was outstanding on the glass against a vulnerable Philadelphia frontcourt, hauling in 15 rebounds and adding seven assists and two steals. J.R. Smith added 14 points, three rebounds and a steal, and drained another four three-pointers in the process. Tristan Thompson had his own double-double in another start at center, collecting 10 points and grabbing 10 boards. Kyrie Irving had a second consecutive quiet game, notching eight points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block over 31 minutes. Although his contributions in non-scoring categories were certainly solid, Irving notably struggled from the field, draining only three of 15 shot attempts.
The Cavs improved to 26-9 and remain atop the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They now head to Dallas to take on the Mavericks on Tuesday.
Philadelphia's valiant effort was spearheaded by Jahlil Okafor's 21 points, which he supplemented with seven rebounds. Ish Smith put together a second straight strong performance after a string of relatively quiet games, tallying a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists. He also added seven boards and a steal. Jerami Grant and Nik Stauskas could only put together a pair of six-point outings, while Hollis Thompson paced the Philadephia bench with eight points and three rebounds.
The Sixers fell to 4-36 and remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They await the Chicago Bulls for a Thursday matchup.
