Cleveland's biggest headlines tonight came off the court as they sent Dion Waiters to Oklahoma City and Alex Kirk to the New York Knicks as part of a three-team deal that will bring J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cavs.
The deal, which happened minutes before tipoff, gave Cleveland a short bench with stars Kyrie Irving and LeBron James out with injury, but the Cavs still managed to grab a comfortable 50-37 halftime lead.
However, the Sixers would not go away, mounting a fourth-quarter comeback to win the game on a Tony Wroten layup with nine seconds left.
Turning Point:
Philadelphia went on a 12-2 run late in the fourth quarter that brought themselves back into the game, and they were ultimately able to make enough plays in the last minute of the game to pull out a victory.
Key Stat:
The win is Philadelphia's first home win of the season after losing their first 14 games of the year at the Wells Fargo Center.
Cleveland MVP:
Kevin Love carried the Cavs without Irving and Love, dropping 28 points and grabbing 19 rebounds. Tristan Thompson also had a big game (18 points, nine rebounds) as Cleveland dominated down low.
Philadelphia MVP:
Michael Carter-Williams had a huge game in his return from injury, scoring 18 points, dishing out 13 assists, and grabbing six boards. His backup, Tony Wroten, was Philly's leading scorer, coming off the bench with 20 points and eight assists.
What’s Next?
Cleveland will welcome Smith and Shumpert to the team with their next game on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets, while the Sixers will host the Milwaukee Bucks.
Be sure to follow our Cavs insider @brauf33 on Twitter and follow our Cleveland Cavaliers page for all the latest news!
RELATED ARTICLES
Dion Waiters Traded To OKC, Cleveland Gets J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert In Three-Team Deal
Cavs Coaching Rumors: 3 Candidates To Replace David Blatt Mid-Season
Back to the Cleveland Cavaliers Newsfeed