The NBA understood the assignment. With LeBron James suiting up for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2026-2027, the league is making sure to put LeBron and the Sixers on the biggest slates and frontload the schedule with key dates that are directly connected to the King.
When the Sixers host their first home game of the 2026-2027 NBA season, they will welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers to South Philly on October 22, 2026. Obviously, the stakes are going to be high in that one.
The weight of Philly vs. Cleveland
The Sixers are going to be tested early on. Their first game of the season will take place on the road at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. The Sixers will get a chance to see their rival hang the banner after winning the NBA Finals in 2026.
Two nights later, they get to go toe-to-toe with the other top Eastern Conference contender. Just a few months ago, the Cavaliers came up short against the Knicks in the playoffs right after the Sixers caught their sweep out of the second round.
But it's not just a matter of the Sixers playing back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals contenders. The game will carry a lot of weight since the Cavaliers were confident that LeBron James was coming back to them.
Throughout the 2026 offseason, the Cavs remained quiet on the roster-building front as they hoped for James to reunite with the organization. Analysts and sportsbooks favored the Cavaliers heavily, but James ultimately chose the 76ers. You bet the Cavs are going to want to give LeBron and the Sixers their best shot after such a shocking decision this summer.
And if you really want to add another narrative, the return of James Harden (again) still plays. While Harden's nemesis, Daryl Morey, is no longer in the building in Philadelphia, the veteran guard could still have the desire to stick it to one of his former teams. The superstar playmaker didn't leave the City of Brotherly Love on the best of terms back in 2023.
Harden currently remains unsigned, but the free agent guard is widely expected to ink a deal with the Cavaliers sometime soon. Cleveland is still working on finding the best supporting pieces for the combination of Donovan Mitchell and Harden.
After the Cavaliers swept the Sixers in 2025-2026, they are set to face a much-improved Philly team that added LeBron and Jaylen Brown.
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