Player ratings: Six players saw a late lead in the loss to the Cavaliers

ballervisions 2026年1月17日

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia 76ers played host to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday in Wednesday’s contest looking for revenge. The Sixers were coming off a tough loss to the Cavs and were looking to bounce back and get back in the win column on Friday.

The Sixers used a strong defensive effort and Joel Embiid’s dominance to build a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, but saw it all slip away as the Cavaliers rallied and handed the Sixers a 117-115 loss as Evan Mobley finished with 4.8 seconds to play. Cleveland got 39 points from Jaylon Tyson as he proved to be a problem for the Sixers to deal with.

Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 33 points and five rebounds. Tyrese Maxey added 22 points, five rebounds, nine assists and five steals, Paul George had 14 points and five assists, and VJ Edgecombe added 10. Quentin Grimes had 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists off the bench and Kelly Oubre Jr. he had 12 points.

Here are the player’s grades following the loss:

Tyrese Maxey: B-minus

The Cavaliers also sent a wave of defenders at Maxey every time he touched the ball. It started with second baseman Tyson, who, to his credit, did a great job of harassing Maxey early on using his length and quickness while also being a force on Cleveland’s offense. Overall, Maxey had another quiet game, but played well defensively. He really came in and bothered the Cavs on the perimeter and made an impact that way while others led the way on the Philadelphia offensive end.

VJ Edgecombe: B-minus

The Sixers needed Edgecombe to step up and give them something with the Cavs heavily focused on Maxey, and he obliged. He hit a 3-pointer before putting the ball down and attacking the basket. There was a tough stretch in the second quarter where he made a few mistakes, but other than that, he was very good in the country.

Paul George: B-plus

The energy and hustle that George brought down this time was impressive. He started off well as he hit a corner 3, then stole the inbounds for a layup, then dropped a shot down the middle and made plays for others. After a quick start, George was more focused on the defensive end and making plays with his passing, but George made an impact this time and gave the Sixers production in many ways. His buckets in the fourth quarter were as important as ever.

Dominic Barlow: B

Watching Barlow in this one, it would be hard to believe that he left Wednesday’s contest with a sprained back. He was great on the defensive end and was diving down the floor making big plays to get the Sixers more possessions. His car is amazing and gives Philadelphia great energy.

Joel Embiid: A

The big boy came out shooting at it. Embiid was very aggressive looking for his shot against Cavaliers bull Jarrett Allen and he was effective as he hit the middle and from the three-point line where he struggled at times. He was fantastic all night as he scored at all three levels and made life difficult for Allen and Evan Mobley, as well as being a presence on the defensive end. These are the types of plays that give hope for a deep playoff run for Philadelphia.

Quentin Grimes: A-minus

Grimes has been a problem for Cleveland’s perimeter guards and has been in the right spots. Their bodyguards took a hard shot, but they were pictures to hang your hat on. Offensively, it was a slow start, but he made two big 3-pointers to end the first half to create some separation for the Sixers. He also made some big defensive plays in the second half that led to buckets as he made a real difference in that area and made some big shots.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: B-plus

Oubre’s first season showed off his defensive chops. He did a great job on Cavs star Donovan Mitchell as he made life difficult for him and used his height to help Philadelphia have success on the defensive end. He didn’t do much offensively, though to no avail. Things changed for him in the second half as he got to the basket and hit big shots and knocked down the wing three times. This was a solid game by Oubre on both ends of the floor.

Adem Bona: A-minus

Bona’s start was not good. He was dynamic and useful on the glass which is what the Sixers need against Mobley and Allen. He was great as a rim protector and denied two shots in a row and allowed the Sixers to get an easy bucket otherwise. He also had a rim-rattling slam after cutting a route.

Trendon Watford: B

The Sixers turned to Watford late in the first half and he contributed quickly with a floater in the paint and helped with his ball handling skills. He did some great things in his 10 minutes sitting down.

Jabari Walker: He’s not perfect

Once again, Walker played behind in his minutes off the bench. He gave the Sixers a lot of energy and was useful both on the glass and on the defensive end. He was missing his public appearance in anger, but the fact that he was willing to take those pictures was a big help. He played only four minutes

This article first appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Sixers see late lead leave Cavaliers in loss