76ers rally from 29-point deficit for biggest comeback of LeBron James' career to win home opener over Cavs, 114-106

The new-look Philadelphia 76ers staged a thrilling comeback for the home crowd in their regular-season home opener. Trailing by 29 points in the first half, the Sixers rode a second-half surge for a 38-point swing and an eventual 114-106 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.

The comeback was the biggest of LeBron James' 24-year NBA career, making his home debut a memorable one. Previously, he was 0-52 when behind by 29 points or more.

Tyrese Maxey scored 32 points with six assists, followed by 24 points and seven rebounds from Joel Embiid to lead Philadelphia. Jaylen Brown added 21 points with eight boards, while James added 17 points with 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals.

Teams that had a lead of 20+points at halftime were 65-0 in their season openers since the shot-clock era began in 1954-55, according to ESPN. The Cavaliers had a 155-0 record with a 29-point lead, while the 76ers were 0-156 facing such a deficit.

Overall, NBA teams had won 466 consecutive games with that kind of lead during the regular season, the Associated Press' Tim Reynolds reported.

Philadelphia took its first lead of the game at 96-95 five minutes into the fourth quarter on seven straight points by Embiid. Brown followed with a long fadeaway jumper, a driving layup between two defenders and a midrange shot to put Philadelphia ahead by seven points.

The Sixers came out strong to begin the third quarter, scoring 11 points in the opening 90 seconds to cut the Cavs' lead to 13 points. Donovan Mitchell got two baskets to slow Philadelphia down, but that was temporary as Philadelphia kept up a quicker pace.

A fast-break layup and 3-pointer from Maxey made it an 80-73 Cavs lead at the five-minute mark of the quarter. That got the crowd back on the home team's side, chanting "trust the process" as the deficit was reduced to five points.

Perhaps the most important point of the game for Philadelphia was a two-minute stretch late in the third quarter when head coach Nick Nurse gave Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid a rest. The Cavs weren't able to capitalize, but did manage to push their lead back up to 90-82 when Maxey and Brown came back in toward the end of the quarter.

Playing their first game of the season, the Cavaliers seemed determined to show that last season's Eastern Conference finalists won't just step aside and let the Sixers cruise to the NBA Finals unchallenged.

Despite a night off since Tuesday's season-opening win over the reigning NBA champion New York Knicks, Philadelphia initially played like a team that left all of its energy at Madison Square Garden. Maybe the effort to upstage the Knicks when they received their championship rings and establish their place in the East's hierarchy set a level difficult to match early on.

After Maxey hit a short jumper to tie the score at 11-11, the Cavaliers went on a 12-0 run. That eventually became a 24-7 surge to end the first quarter. The margin didn't shrink during the second quarter, with Cleveland outscoring the Sixers 34-27 to take a 24-point lead and prompt boos from the Xfinity Mobile Center crowd into halftime. And that was with Embiid hitting a 3-pointer just before the buzzer.

During "Inside the NBA" before the game, Charles Barkley expressed his concern that Philadelphia's obvious weakness is its lack of size besides Embiid. Cleveland made Barkley look prescient with Evan Mobley (15 first-half points) and Jarrett Allen (14) dominating in the frontcourt while playing Embiid tough. The 76ers' center had nine points on 3-of-10 shooting at the half.

Mitchell finished with 32 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Cavs. However, he missed two free throws with 1:19 remaining in regulation that could have pulled Cleveland to within two points.

James Harden scored 16 points with five assists. But Mobley scored only three points in the second half and Allen went scoreless.

Joel Embiid and LeBron James break out new pregame handshake

By halftime, it appeared that the most memorable moment for the Sixers in their home opener would be the handshake and dance between Embiid and James during pregame introductions.

The NBA might have something to say about that, if the league office determines James made one too many hip pumps there. Officials may have to check with the fictional Hingle McCringleberry or real Jamaal Williams .

Poor VJ Edgecombe was also left hanging by Embiid. He had to console himself with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals.

The 76ers continue their homestand by hosting the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, while the Cavaliers host the Brooklyn Nets for their home opener.