The Cleveland Cavaliers are off to the best start in franchise history and the best start for any NBA team in nearly a decade.
Even more, the 12-0 Cavaliers may catch a break Wednesday night when they visit the scuffling Philadelphia 76ers.
Not only did Cleveland rest Tuesday while Philadelphia lost to the New York Knicks 111-99, but the Sixers will be shorthanded on Wednesday.
How shorthanded remains to be seen. The Sixers definitely will be without Tyrese Maxey (hamstring injury) and could be without Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (knee).
Embiid made his season debut Tuesday in the loss to New York, while George has played in the last five games after missing the first five. In either case, the absence of either player would spell bad news against the soaring Cavaliers.
“We’re doing it in various ways,” said star guard Donovan Mitchell, who leads Cleveland in scoring with an average of 23.7 points a game. “We’re doing it in a way where we are blowing out teams. We’re winning from behind. We’re winning close games. And it’s somebody different every night.”
Mitchell was the primary star for the Cavaliers in Monday’s 119-113 road win over the Chicago Bulls. He scored 36 points and shot 7 of 16 from 3-point range, and five teammates scored in double figures.
The Cavaliers are the eighth team in NBA history to start the season 12-0 or better. The last team to go undefeated in its first dozen games was the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who went 24-0 en route to a league-record 73-win campaign.
“Great stat. I didn’t know that,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said about his team. “We’re going to celebrate that. Being in the league 17 years, you have good starts and you have bad starts. But to have a great start like this is unique and something to celebrate.”
The Sixers, meanwhile, haven’t had much to celebrate this season. They are 2-8 and, while Embiid made his season debut Tuesday, he shot just 2 of 11 from the field for 13 points and grabbed only three rebounds in 26 minutes.
“A little rusty. A little bit of conditioning (concerns) showed up fairly early,” said Sixers coach Nick Nurse, noting that those issues were anticipated.
Nurse wouldn’t commit to Embiid’s status for Wednesday — or for George’s — but Embiid said he wants to suit up again.
“I feel good right now, but I’ll see. It’s up to them,” Embiid said.
Embiid’s teammates certainly would be excited to see him on the court again. Rookie guard Jared McCain had a productive night playing alongside him Tuesday, when he registered 23 points for his second straight effort of at least 20 points.
“It’s pretty easy playing with him,” McCain said, while George noted that “you just see how much (Embiid) demands eyes and attention on him” after the perennial All-Stars played their first game together.
Regardless of which Sixers’ stars are in uniform, Mitchell and the Cavaliers will be ready.
“We’re going to get teams’ best shots,” Mitchell said. “We’re going to get tested early. I have no doubt we will.”
