Evan Mobley’s baseline slam with 4.8 ticks left capped a wild 117-115 Cleveland comeback in Philadelphia, catapulting the Cavs above the Sixers in the East and announcing Jaylon Tyson as the league’s newest scoring threat.
Instant classic: how the Cavs flipped a 14-point hole
Cleveland absorbed every Philly haymaker—down 11 in the third, down seven with 3:53 left—before Jaylon Tyson and Donovan Mitchell ignited a 10-0 fourth-quarter burst that turned a 100-89 deficit into a one-possession game.
The rookie closed it himself. Tyson’s wrap-around dime from the baseline found Evan Mobley alone under the rim, and the third-year big man detonated a two-hander that froze the clock at 4.8 seconds. A last Tyrese Maxey heave clanged away, and the Cavs escaped 117-115.
Tyson announces arrival with career-high 39
The 2024 first-round pick was flawless: 13-17 overall, 7-9 from deep, 6-6 at the stripe, plus five boards and four dimes. His previous NBA best was 17. Philadelphia had no answers for the 6-7 wing coming off staggered screens, and his back-to-back triples inside six minutes slashed a seven-point Sixers cushion to a single point.
Embiid, Maxey can’t finish the job
Joel Embiid poured in 33—his fifth 30-plus outing of the season—while Tyrese Maxey flirted with a 5×5: 29 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 5 steals. But Maxey needed 24 shots and missed the final desperation three, allowing Cleveland to slip back in front of them in the standings.
What it means for the Eastern Conference race
- Cleveland (24-19) jumps into sixth place, a half-game up on Philadelphia (22-18) and only 2.5 back of surging Indiana for the top-six safety net.
- The Cavs own the head-to-head tiebreaker 2-1 with one meeting left, a massive edge if seeding comes down to the final week.
- Philly has now lost five of its last eight, and the defensive cracks—allowing 117 while forcing just 12 turnovers—raise questions about perimeter containment without a plus-defender trade addition.
Key numbers that tell the story
| Category | Cavaliers | 76ers |
|---|---|---|
| Fast-break pts | 22 | 9 |
| Bench scoring | 38 | 24 |
| Clutch FG (last 5 min) | 7-11 | 5-12 |
Cleveland’s transition burst and deeper bench flipped a game Philly controlled for three quarters.
Next up
The Cavs head to Atlanta Sunday for the second night of a back-to-back, while the Sixers host streaking Milwaukee on Monday. If Tyson keeps cooking and Mobley keeps closing, Cleveland’s mid-season surge could carve out a legitimate path to home-court in the first round.
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