LeBron James has a new jersey, another collection of All-Star teammates and a home debut that practically begs for a Hollywood script. Unfortunately for the Philadelphia 76ers, the Cleveland Cavaliers aren't obligated to play the supporting cast.
Thursday's season opener gives Cleveland an opportunity to make an early statement against one of its biggest Eastern Conference threats. Philadelphia already knocked off the defending champion New York Knicks, 106-100, and now gets to introduce James to its home crowd against the franchise that knows him better than most.
The Cavaliers have their own championship ambitions, though, and beating LeBron's new superteam would be a satisfying way to demonstrate that Cleveland's future doesn't require another reunion.
Here are four ways to spoil the party.
1. Don't get into a footrace with Tyrese Maxey
LeBron might have top billing, but Tyrese Maxey is the player who can turn Cleveland's evening into a track meet.
Maxey's speed makes him especially dangerous when opponents get careless with the basketball. A lazy pass or poorly timed shot can become a Philadelphia fast break before the Cavaliers have finished complaining to the officials.
Cleveland needs to prioritize ball security, get back defensively and force Maxey to operate against a set defense. That doesn't mean abandoning transition opportunities of its own, but there's little reason to hand one of the league's quickest guards a steady diet of open-floor possessions.
James is already an exceptional passer. Giving him Maxey sprinting ahead of the defense is essentially providing Philadelphia with complimentary express delivery.
2. Make LeBron work on the defensive end
Nobody should expect Cleveland to completely neutralize James offensively. The more realistic strategy is making sure he doesn't spend half the evening resting on defense.
Donovan Mitchell and James Harden should repeatedly involve LeBron in pick-and-roll actions, forcing him to navigate screens, communicate switches and make decisions against two accomplished offensive creators.
If James switches onto Mitchell, Cleveland can test his lateral movement. If he helps off Harden, the Cavaliers can exploit the space created elsewhere. Even when Philadelphia handles the action successfully, making LeBron participate repeatedly serves a purpose.
At 41, James remains remarkably productive, but Cleveland shouldn't make his workload any easier. The Cavaliers need him defending difficult possessions rather than conserving energy for another highlight-reel pass.
After all, Philadelphia signed a basketball superstar, not someone entitled to a defensive vacation package.
3. Don't let Joel Embiid turn the paint into his personal property
LeBron and Maxey generate plenty of attention, but Joel Embiid presents an entirely different problem. Philadelphia's center can dominate through physicality, draw fouls and force opponents into defensive compromises that open opportunities for everyone else.
Fortunately, Cleveland has Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, giving Kenny Atkinson two legitimate options for managing Embiid's interior presence.
Allen needs to absorb the physical punishment without collecting unnecessary fouls, while Mobley can provide help around the rim and challenge shots when Embiid attacks. The Cavaliers must also remain disciplined when Philadelphia's shooters are stationed around the perimeter.
Cleveland can't afford to send three defenders toward Embiid every time he touches the basketball. That's an invitation for James to start distributing assists like party favors.
The Cavaliers should also make Embiid defend Harden's pick-and-roll game, forcing Philadelphia's big man to work rather than allowing him to spend the night dictating terms.
4. Make Philadelphia chase Cleveland's shooters
The Cavaliers have enough offensive talent to make Philadelphia uncomfortable, provided they resist the temptation to turn every possession into a Mitchell or Harden isolation.
Harden's greatest value comes from manipulating defensive attention and creating opportunities for teammates. Mitchell can attack the openings that follow, while Mobley and Allen provide dangerous finishing options around the basket.
Cleveland also needs its perimeter players moving without the ball. Sam Merrill's shooting and constant relocation can punish defenders who become overly concerned with Mitchell and Harden, creating the kind of spacing that makes Cleveland's offense difficult to contain.
That's particularly important against a Philadelphia roster loaded with individual talent. The Cavaliers aren't going to win a superstar popularity contest against LeBron, Embiid, Brown and Maxey, but they can win the possession-by-possession battle by forcing the 76ers to defend multiple actions.
Thursday won't determine who represents the East in June. A victory would, however, give Cleveland something considerably more useful than another round of LeBron reunion speculation: evidence that its current roster can compete with the conference's most intimidating collections of talent.
LeBron's home debut might be the headline Philadelphia wants. Cleveland has every reason to write a different ending.
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