LeBron James received a warm reception in Cleveland on Friday night, but his return ended with one of the poorest performances of his career. The Philadelphia 76ers lost 119-96 to the Cavaliers in an NBA Cup game at Rocket Arena, with James finishing with eight points, six turnovers and a 3-for-12 shooting line.
The result ended James' run of 396 consecutive games scoring at least 10 points in Cleveland. His previous single-digit scoring appearance there came on Dec. 29, 2004, one day before his 20th birthday. Now 41 and in his 24th NBA season, James struggled to get past Cleveland's defenders and find his shooting touch.
Friday marked James' first appearance in Cleveland since he selected Philadelphia in free agency this summer. The Cavaliers had pursued him, along with the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat. Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said last month that missing out on James had left him feeling depressed during the first day or two after the decision.
Despite that disappointment, most fans stood to applaud James, whose introduction drew louder cheers than those for any Cleveland starter. He had previously visited with both Miami and the Los Angeles Lakers. James put the reception in the context of his first game back after leaving Cleveland for the Heat, saying nothing could be worse than the response he received on Dec. 2, 2010.
That earlier return followed his announcement on a national television special that he would leave his hometown team. At 25, James faced sustained boos but scored 38 points to lead Miami to a 118-90 victory. Friday's supportive crowd saw a very different performance. “I know I damn sure wasn't good at all,” James said afterward.
Philadelphia's offensive problems also extended to Joel Embiid. The former MVP missed all nine of his field goal attempts and finished with six points. It was the second-worst shooting performance of his career, behind an 0-for-11 game against Toronto six years earlier. James and Embiid became the third different pair of former MVPs in NBA history to each finish the same game with single-digit points while shooting 25% or worse.
James said he never established a comfortable offensive rhythm and took responsibility for his turnovers. Philadelphia's attack as a whole also struggled, he said, as the Sixers suffered their second defeat through 10 games.
The 8-2 Sixers next face the Bulls in Chicago on Sunday. Despite the loss, James expressed satisfaction with Philadelphia's overall start, saying he would have accepted an 8-2 record through the opening 10 games.
