Kenny Atkinson knows exactly where the Cleveland Cavaliers have to clean things up against the Philadelphia 76ers: the ball security has to be better.
That was the clear message before Friday’s rematch at Rocket Arena, with Atkinson pointing back to the first meeting as the warning sign. Cleveland turned it over 21 times in that game, and Philadelphia turned those mistakes into 22 points.
The 76ers also piled up 10 steals and 24 fast-break points, then blew the game open after halftime by outscoring the Cavaliers 69-37 in a 114-106 win on Oct. 22.
“Take care of the ball,” Atkinson said. “They force live-ball turnovers, and that fuels their transition, and it’s really going to be one of the keys to the game.
They’re an active, active defense. So we don’t want to fuel their transition.
They’re incredible in transition. So that’s going to be a big one tonight.”
The opener of Cleveland’s Emirates NBA Cup group-stage schedule tips at 7:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video, and it comes with Philadelphia rolling. The 76ers are 8-1, have won five straight, and are 4-0 on the road for the first time since the 2000-01 season.
Philadelphia’s defense has been the backbone of that start. Through nine games, the 76ers are giving up 105.2 points per game, third-fewest in the league, and their 105.4 defensive rating ranks second. They’re also averaging 8.9 steals per game.
Dean Wade, who spent seven seasons in Cleveland, leads Philadelphia with 1.9 steals in 26.3 minutes per game. Tyrese Maxey is at 1.6, and LeBron James averages 1.4.
The transition game is where Philadelphia can really hurt you. Maxey led the NBA with 382 fast-break points last season, according to ESPN, while James finished second with 343 during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. In the first meeting, Maxey scored 32 points, including 10 on the break, and James added 9 fast-break points in a 17-point outing.
Cleveland’s own turnover numbers are part of the problem. The Cavaliers average 14.0 per game, with James Harden and Donovan Mitchell at 3.0 each and Peyton Watson at 2.3 in six starts. Mitchell leads the team with 22.5 points per game, while Harden is putting up 16.6 points and a team-high 6.3 assists.
The Cavaliers are also playing at a high tempo, ranking eighth in pace at 101.1 possessions per 48 minutes. They’re fifth in scoring, but they’ve also allowed 117.1 points per game, which ranks 23rd.
They enter this one trying to stop a slide. Cleveland’s current skid began with Monday’s 117-112 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, then continued Wednesday in Oklahoma City with a 124-116 defeat. The Cavaliers have dropped three of their last four.
The injury report adds another layer before tip-off. Jarrett Allen is questionable with a right knee contusion, Watson is questionable with right hamstring injury management, and Tyrese Proctor is questionable with a left ankle sprain. Jaylon Tyson is out with a right ankle sprain, and Nae’Qwan Tomlin is out with a low back stress reaction.
For Philadelphia, Adem Bona is doubtful with a cervical spine sprain, while Dominick Barlow is out with a low back stress reaction and Ariel Hukporti is out with a right Achilles tendon rupture.
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