Cleveland’s already seen LeBron James in a Sixers jersey once this season. It went pretty well for the Cavs — until halftime.

They led Philadelphia by 29 on Oct. 22nd, then watched it all slip away in a 114–106 loss. Now LeBron’s coming back to Cleveland for the first time as a Sixer, and the Cavs get another shot at a team they swept last season. Friday’s rematch at Rocket Arena kicks off the second Emirates NBA Cup night on Prime Video at 7:30 p.m. ET. Tune in early for LeBron’s reception, then stick around to see who’s still willing to take the ball when the fourth quarter gets tight.

It’s been ten years since LeBron chased down Andre Iguodala in Game 7 and helped bring Cleveland their first championship. He’s been back in town wearing other jerseys plenty of times since then, but this still feels a little strange. Watching him walk into that building in his 24th season alongside Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, and Tyrese Maxey is a different kind of surreal. The crowd will get their moment with him. Then the Cavs will have to deal with all four of them.

What’s Actually on the Line?

East Group B has the defending NBA and Cup champion Knicks, the Cavs, the Sixers, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Heat, and the Pacers, with Tyrese Haliburton back in the mix. The Knicks swept both Cleveland and Philly out of the playoffs last spring, but they’re already 0–1 in this group after the Sixers beat them 98–93 last Friday. Miami opened with a 145–125 win over Indiana, while Cleveland hasn’t played a Cup game yet.

Everybody gets four group games. Win the group and you’re in the quarterfinals. Finish second and you’re competing with the other East runners-up for one wild card. Head-to-head comes first in a group tie, but after that it's point differential. So don't expect either of these teams to let off the gas if things start getting out of hand.

A Philly win gets the Sixers to 2–0 and gives them the edge in a two-team tie with either New York or Cleveland. The October comeback counts in the regular-season standings, but for Cup purposes, these two teams are starting from scratch against each other. Philly still has Miami and Indiana after this, and Cleveland has all three of their other group games left.

Maxey and Mitchell Are the Matchup

LeBron’s the reason this game gets the big introduction, but Maxey and Donovan Mitchell are the two I’ll be watching once it starts. They scored 32 apiece in the first matchup, and they make defenses uncomfortable in completely different ways. Maxey can get his shoulder past a defender before the help has even taken a step. Mitchell can get you leaning toward the rim, then pull up while you’re still trying to catch your balance. Through Monday, Maxey had 88 fourth-quarter points, 26 more than anybody else in the league. On a roster with this many big names, there’s a reason the ball keeps finding him late.

The number I keep coming back to from the first game is 21. That’s how many times Cleveland turned it over. Harden had six, and Mitchell had five. Philly spent the first half giving the ball away themselves, then turned up the pressure and held Cleveland to 16 points in the fourth. Maxey and Harden, former teammates, even got face-to-face in the middle of it. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said afterward:

They upped their pressure and physicality. We did not handle it well.

If it’s tight late, watch how quickly Cleveland gets into their offense. Get Jarrett Allen up to screen for Mitchell before Philly can crowd him, and now the Sixers have to deal with Allen rolling to the rim. Get Evan Mobley the ball in the middle, and he can make the next pass if somebody comes over. Spend half the shot clock just getting organized, though, and you’re asking Mitchell to bail you out against a defense that already knows what’s coming.

Who Wins?

I’ve got Philly in a close one. The Knicks game is a good example of why. Maxey led the Sixers with 27, LeBron hit the go-ahead fadeaway, and VJ Edgecombe hit the three that gave them some breathing room. Cleveland can make the right call on Maxey and still spend the rest of the possession trying to get the ball away from somebody they'd rather not leave open.

If Cleveland finds a way to win, it'll be because Mitchell and Harden get Allen and Mobley involved when the game gets tight. And honestly, that’d tell me more about the Cavs than another big first half.

All stats courtesy of NBA.com.

Want more NBA coverage? Head to Sports Pass for the latest. And for more stories that keep you informed and entertained, YourLifeBuzz has you covered.