The Cleveland Cavaliers have been the most dominant team in the NBA in 2024. Prior to their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, they had won 9 consecutive games, following an 8-game winning streak. They were heavily favored to win against a depleted Philly team, with a margin of 11.5 points.
However, Buddy Hield of the 76ers had a different plan.
In a surprising upset, the Sixers secured a significant victory on the road against the Cavaliers, who had won 17 out of their last 18 games.
Buddy Hield, Kelly Oubre, and Tyrese Maxey combined for a total of 70 points, leading the Sixers to their second consecutive win.
In his fourth game playing for Philadelphia, Hield scored 24 points, making 5 out of 8 shots from beyond the arc. Kyle Kuzma also contributed 24 points, matching Hield’s performance. Hield went on a scoring spree in the fourth quarter, scoring 9 consecutive points, including back-to-back three-pointers.
Although the Cavaliers made a valiant effort to overcome a 10-point deficit in the final 1:25 of the game, they fell short and missed the final shot at the buzzer. The game ended with a score of 123-121. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers in scoring with 36 points.
This loss is particularly disappointing for Cleveland, as it would have extended their winning streak to double digits. It is only their second loss since January 1st, during which they have climbed from 7th to 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. They have a winnable game against the Chicago Bulls before the All-Star break.
The Cavaliers are in a strong position to finish as one of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference by the end of the regular season. They are 5.5 games behind the Celtics, whom they will have a difficult time catching up to. However, they are still one game ahead of the Bucks in third place and three games ahead of the Knicks in fourth place.
Cleveland’s first nine games after the break will be against Eastern Conference opponents, including matchups against the 76ers, Knicks, and Celtics.
The longest active winning streak in the NBA is currently held by both the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors, with 5 consecutive wins.
According to the Source sportslens.com