The best way to make it out of the NBA Cup group stage is to win them all. If you can't win them all, then you'd better hope the point differential works in your favor. For the Philadelphia 76ers, they haven't been able to make it to the knockout round since the league birthed the "In-Season Tournament," and the new-look group seems to already be on the chopping block in 2026 as well.
It turns out that LeBron James' past NBA Cup success doesn't exactly change the Sixers' odds of winning it this year. Although the 76ers found success in their first group game, which was a home matchup against the most recent NBA Cup Champs, the New York Knicks, when the Sixers visited the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road, they simply didn't have it going.
The Cavaliers cool the 76ers off
The Sixers were arguably the hottest team in the league heading into Friday's action against the Cavs, but Cleveland cooled them off.
LeBron's struggles played a part in the loss. During a 32-minute run, James scored just eight points with 3-for-12 shooting from the field. He dished out just three assists while turning the ball over six times.
The star center Joel Embiid had a pitiful shooting night. He missed every field goal attempt he took (nine total), and scored just six points in 25 minutes--all from the charity stripe.
Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey's games were overshadowed by the down nights put together by the other two, but the All-Stars didn't do anything spectacular. Brown went 9-for-19 to score 20 points. Maxey shot 5-for-15 to produce 17 points. VJ Edgecombe was their most efficient scorer, as he dropped 19 points in 32 minutes.
The NBA Cup standings
With that loss, the Sixers are third in East Group B standings. They are the only team to play two games.
Cleveland's lone win gives them the No. 1 spot. The Miami Heat are also 1-0, and they sit in front of the 76ers, who lead the Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. With two more opponents still on the schedule, anything can happen. But the way the Sixers won--and the way they lost--really hurts their chances of making it out.
A tight and low-scoring battle against the Knicks featured a five-point differential for Philly. And since the Sixers' loss against the Cavaliers ended with a 119-95 blowout, they have a significant point differential of -19. Meanwhile, the Heat are positive with 20 points, while Cleveland has 24.
Is it a huge deal? Nobody will make it one, of course. The NBA Cup has grown in interest a bit, but it's still cooler to act like you don't care about it. Here's the thing, though: the 76ers haven't won a trophy in decades. They have no business acting too cool for the cup. It's not the end of the world/season to lose an in-season tournament, but it would be a cool look for them to keep the hot streak alive while playing for more than just a regular-season game.
Unfortunately, the Sixers put a disappointing performance on display when the game held just a little bit more weight. As a result, they have a steep hill to climb to make it to the knockout phase.
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