LeBron, Embiid Struggle as Cavs Rout 76ers, Box Score Stats, Highlights for Harden, Spida, More

The scorching-hot Philadelphia 76ers hit a roadblock in Cleveland on Friday evening as the Cavaliers caught fire early and put this game away well before the final buzzer en route to a 119-95 victory in this NBA Cup matchup.

The 76ers were 2.5-point favorites, per FanDuel Sportsbook , but the Cavs won easily thanks in part to a great defensive performance and a strong second unit that scored 44 points.

LeBron James' first game in Cleveland as a 76er didn't go well, as the 24-year veteran (11 as a Cavalier) shot just 3-of-12 en route to eight points and six turnovers. However, he did get a nice ovation from the crowd when introduced during the starting lineup announcements.

Philadelphia center Joel Embiid missed all nine of his field goal attempts, and the team as a whole made just 36 percent of its field goals (25 percent from three-point range).

Here's a look at some notable performances this evening.

Cleveland got out to a 33-22 lead after one quarter thanks in part to a 19-4 game-opening run. Donovan Mitchell scored the Cavs' first six buckets.

The Cavs' bench started showing its prowess early thanks to Maleek Thomas (12 points) and Thomas Bryant (13 points)

Mario Hezonja (15 points) led the Cavs' reserves in scoring.

Philadelphia stopped the bleeding in the second quarter and trailed by eight (62-54) at halftime. The 76ers even cut the lead to as low as two (67-65) in the third quarter after a James jumper with 7:54 remaining in the frame.

However, the Cavs were too strong and finished the quarter on a 24-9 run capped by Mitchell's stepback three:

Cleveland scored the first five points in the fourth quarter for a 29-9 run overall and never looked back.

The 8-2 76ers, who won five straight entering Friday, still hold the Eastern Conference's best record. They'll now visit the Chicago Bulls on Sunday before starting a three-game homestand.

The 5-4 Cavaliers will stay home to play the New York Knicks on Saturday before beginning a three-game Eastern Conference road trip.