4 Takeaways: With the stars leading the way, the 76ers complete a record 29-point rally against the Cavs

PHILADELPHIA — In the deep Eastern Conference, you have to get used to what happened between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

The competition is fierce. Victories are not easy. So much is contested, so much is won.

The intensity burned between the Cavs and the Sixers, like the charged atmosphere of the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Proving once again that a deficit is just a number to overcome, the 76ers erased a 29-point deficit and defeated the Cavaliers 114-106.

Yes, it’s the first week of the season, but who wouldn’t want to see this game in a best-of-seven playoff series.

The Sixers open the season with two impressive victories: the opening night victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, then a 69-37 second half to beat the Cavaliers, who reached the Eastern Conference finals last season.

Tyrese Maxey scored a team-high 32 points, leading five starters in double figures. Joel Embiid had 24 points, LeBron James added 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals, Jaylen Brown had 21 points and eight rebounds and VJ Edgecombe contributed 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.

“There’s a lot we can learn from 96 minutes of our existence playing together — offensively, mentally, things we did well, things we didn’t do well,” James said. “Every time we get an opportunity to touch the floor or watch film, we have to learn from it. We have to put our minds and souls into it. It’s definitely a marathon.”

1. The 76ers starting five turn it on in the second half

Philadelphia’s dynamic starting five was the story of the second half. It didn’t take long for the Sixers to cut a 69-45 halftime deficit to a one-possession game with 3:59 left in the third quarter.

The 76ers took their first lead of the game, 96-95, on an Embiid basket with 6:54 left in the fourth.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to respond to adversity,” Brown said. “There will be ups and downs throughout the year. How we respond will be 80 percent of the battle. It’s a good sign that we came out with a 30 percent drop. We could have pointed fingers. We tackled that. I like that.”

The starters scored 64 of 69 points in the second half.

“It’s a kind of crazy way to win a game, to absolutely get two halves that don’t look the same at all,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said. “But at least it’s a 48-minute game. We just talked about it. We’ve got to go out and make physical improvement and effort improvement and see where that takes us. … Then all of a sudden you get your bearings, you can at least see where you have a chance to maybe come back.”

2. James makes his home debut for a fourth franchise

At 41, James made another home debut for the Sixers.

He took note of the fans. “It was everything I dreamed of and more,” he said. “I got the boos, it was amazing. We deserved it. And then we got the cheers and almost blew the roof off this thing tonight in a good way. It was a hell of a night.”

That’s for sure: It was the biggest comeback win of James’ career.

He took note of family and friends in attendance, including his wife Savannah and daughter Zhuri, who celebrated her 12th birthday on Thursday.

“It’s great to be able to go out and do what I love to do and be well received,” he said. “My daughter was there. I told her happy birthday on the Jumbotron and she sat courtside. It was super cool, man.

“It’s super special for me to be able to experience moments like this in this building, in this city – one of the best sports cities in the world along with a few other cities. It’s definitely at the top. I’m happy to be here, extremely happy to do it with the guys in this locker room and I hope we continue to do something special throughout the season.”

After two games, it’s easy to see how James is fitting in as a player who can still do a lot of things, including defending, but doesn’t have to do everything.

3. Sixers turnovers are problematic in the first half

The Sixers committed 11 turnovers in the first 13 minutes of the game, leading to a 17-0 advantage over the Cavaliers in points off turnovers. After a Maxey turnover late in the second quarter led to a Donovan Mitchell 3-pointer, the Cavs owned a 22-6 advantage in that category and a 67-39 lead.

Certainly, some of Philadelphia’s mistakes can be attributed to the additions of James and Brown and a starting five that had only played one regular-season game together before Thursday’s game.

These chemistry issues will be a work in progress as players get used to playing next to each other – where they like to catch the ball, who makes the passes, the timing, the spacing, the cutting. Ball movement leads to solid offense, but it requires time with new players.

“These are little things that we’re still working on, and we still have to figure them out,” Brown said. “It’s good to understand and win at the same time.”

4. Fast start followed by a difficult second half for the Cavs

The Cavs were one of two teams that didn’t play in the first two days of the season and they were eager to play a regular season game. “They want to come together and play somebody else,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said before the game.

His team was ready from the start. But in the second half, the Cavs committed turnovers and the Sixers capitalized.

“They increased their pressure and their physicality. It was pretty clear,” Atkinson said. “We didn’t manage the situation well… But I will remember that on the road, with a hostile crowd, we gave ourselves a chance despite what happened in the second half.”

Donovan Mitchell scored 20 of his team’s 32 points in the first half and added 10 rebounds, and Evan Mobley had 18 points and eight rebounds.

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Jeff Zillgitt has been covering the NBA since 2008. You can email him at jzillgitt@nba.com, find his archives here, and follow him on X.