NBA2 hours ago2 minute read

LeBron James Debuts in Philadelphia With Huge Slam

LeBron James played his first home game in Philadelphia, teaming with Tyrese Maxey for an alley oop dunk in front of a sellout crowd.

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A Loud Welcome in Philadelphia

LeBron James made his home debut for Philadelphia on Friday night, giving 19,746 fans an early look at what he can do in his 24th NBA season. The 41 year old forward signed a two year contract for the league minimum in July after spending eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.

James performed his famed chalk toss before tipoff and drew a roaring ovation from the sellout crowd. Joel Embiid took the final player introduction from announcer Matt Cord, but the fans were eager to see James in his number 23 jersey. Eager kids lined the entrance canopy hoping for pictures and autographs before the game started.

The highlight of the night came when Tyrese Maxey lofted a half court pass toward the rim. James tracked the ball and threw down a two handed dunk, sending the arena into a frenzy. James finished with eight points and eight rebounds in Philadelphia's 125-120 overtime loss against the Boston Celtics.

Building Chemistry on the Floor

James credited Maxey with swaying his decision to sign with the Sixers, and their link was clear on the court. "This is a connection that we have," James said. "Some of the best things for us offensively is going to be to get up the floor."

Philadelphia used almost all of its top talent for the preseason finale. The team played all of its starters except for VJ Edgecombe. Jaylen Brown scored 20 points in his first meeting against Boston since being traded to Philadelphia after winning the 2024 Finals MVP.

James admitted that the lineup still needs time to settle in before the games count. "We're getting there," James said. "We're a couple of weeks in. We're still working on our rhythm, working on our kinks. It's not going to be perfect. Obviously, we're just getting together, so it's not going to be perfect. But we've got some things we can build on."

What it means for the next game

Philadelphia begins the regular season on Tuesday at New York, where the Knicks will celebrate their championship banner. The Sixers then host Cleveland on Thursday.

Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks (NBA, Tue, 20 Oct): New York Knicks win 64%, Philadelphia 76ers win 36%; projected score New York Knicks 118, Philadelphia 76ers 112. Our safest pick: Knicks to win.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers (NBA, Thu, 22 Oct): Philadelphia 76ers win 54%, Cleveland Cavaliers win 46%; projected score Philadelphia 76ers 118, Cleveland Cavaliers 115. Our safest pick: Cavaliers +11.5.