Miami (AFP) – The Cleveland Cavaliers managed to stop the Philadelphia 76ers' five-game winning streak this Friday by winning 119-95 while Luka Doncic exploded for 53 points in the LA Lakers' victory.
First modification: 07/11/2026 - 05:23Last modification: 07/11/2026 - 07:52
Below are the most relevant scenes from the NBA day:
-LeBron suffers on his return-
LeBron James returned to what was his home from the beginning of his career for the first time wearing the Philadelphia 76ers shirt.
The 41-year-old forward played 32 minutes in which he scored eight points and collected eight rebounds in a performance below what is customary for the four-time NBA champion.
The Cavaliers, one of three teams that made their debut in the NBA Cup today, had their leading scorer in Donovan Mitchell with 23 points.
However, the collective effort and a spectacular dynamic in attack have been decisive with seven players scoring in double figures.
"We gave a full effort and we needed it," James Harden said. "When we play at this level we have the ability to do really special things."
Cleveland led on the scoreboard throughout the game, winning the rebounding battle 65-51 and prevailing in the paint 50-30.
Although it is only the Sixers' second setback this season, it can be significant within a Group B (East) in which the champions New York Knicks and the renewed Miami Heat of Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo compete.
According to the rules of the competition, only the leader of each group advances to the next round with second place depending on the ranking at the end of the first phase.
-51 for Doncic-
Slovenian Luka Doncic has emerged as one of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidates very early in the season with his fourth consecutive game with at least 40 points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 124-118 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Doncic, a six-time All-Star, led his team with 51 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Los Angeles' Cryptocom Arena enjoyed another magical night for its star, including a basket from his own free throw line to close the first half that brought a smile to the face of Bruce Springsteen, who sat in the front row watching.
The 27-year-old guard is averaging 39 points, eight assists and eight rebounds in his first eight games of the 2026-27 season.
The Lakers maintain the perfect pace in the NBA Cup and with two wins they lead Group C in the Western Conference.
-Beating in Charlotte-
The Boston Celtics (2-0) had a day of few surprises by achieving a resounding 119-80 victory over the Charlotte Hornets in their second appearance in the NBA Cup.
The power forward and main figure of the Celtics, Jayson Tatum, was the great figure of the match with a line of 34 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
"I'm just trying to get better," Tatum said. "We want to reach the NBA Cup final, it is an opportunity to compete and we will take advantage of it."
Tatum, 28, connected on five of his eight attempts from the three-point line at Charlotte's Spectrum Center.
In addition to remaining undefeated after its first two games of the cup tournament, Boston managed to improve its point difference to 53, the main tiebreaker at the end of the group stage.
The Hornets suffered their second defeat and were on the brink of elimination in Group C of the Eastern Conference.
© 2026 AFP
The content you requested does not exist or is no longer available.
