The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped Sunday afternoon’s game to the Philadelphia 76ers 128-105.
The Cleveland Cavaliers started off fast and jumped out to an early 10-point lead thanks to Matthew Dellavedova‘s instant spark off the bench. The bench unit took control of the game at the end of the first quarter as things seemed to be headed in the right direction. The Philadelphia 76ers flipped the script in the second quarter as they went to halftime with a seven-point lead. Cleveland fought well to start the second half, but the wheels fell off in the fourth quarter. They just didn’t have the talent to keep up with Philadelphia.
Larry Drew acknowledges the very small margin for error against a strong Sixers team that eventually wore the @cavs down.#BeTheFight pic.twitter.com/SugFcin2Tv
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) December 16, 2018
Ben Simmons led the charge for the Sixers as he finished with 22 points, 14 assists, and 11 rebounds en route to a triple-double. The Cavs didn’t have an answer for Joel Embiid without Tristan Thompson. Larry Nance Jr. and Ante Zizic were in over their heads as Embiid got seemingly whatever he wanted in the paint. Embiid finished with 24 points and nine rebounds.
Cedi Osman was the Cavs’ best player on Sunday afternoon as he finished with 18 points on six-of-10 shooting with four boards, an assist, and a steal. Jordan Clarkson also contributed 18 points, but in a less efficient six-of-16 shooting. Dellavedova had another solid game off the bench as he finished with 13 points and seven assists.
To minimize slow starts and scoring droughts for the @cavs, Collin Sexton wants to continue pushing the tempo and moving the ball.#BeTheFight pic.twitter.com/1e4b1iBTGh
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) December 16, 2018
Collin Sexton didn’t have his best stuff on Sunday afternoon. He didn’t play awful, but he never got into a rhythm on offense. The rookie finished with 12 points on six-of-13 shooting with two assists, and two steals.
Here’s what we learned from the loss.