League Pass Game of the Day: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers (7 ET)

The Cleveland Cavaliers (36-7) are set to take on the Philadelphia 76ers (15-27) on Friday night in what promises to be an exciting matchup. This game is one of three games scheduled for the evening, so be sure to tune in to catch all the action.

Here are five things to know before tonight’s matchup:

Donovan Mitchell in attack mode: Mitchell has been a potent scorer in the NBA since his rookie year in 2017-18, but his game has evolved in 2024-25. He’s playing within Cleveland’s offense that’s designed to share the ball and scoring opportunities, as he’s averaging his lowest scoring output (23.2 ppg) since 2018-19. However, with Evan Mobley missing the last three games for the Cavs, Spida has been more aggressive offensively. He’s averaging 29.3 points in his last three, dropping 36 and 33 in wins over Minnesota and Phoenix, respectively.Ty Jerome’s increased role: Jerome has been sensational for Cleveland this season after appearing in only two games in 2023-24 because of an ankle injury. The Cavs have been without Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert recently, opening up more playing time for Jerome, and he’s certainly taken advantage of the opportunity. In his last four games, he’s putting up 13.3 points and 1.3 steals while shooting 54.5% from the field and 50.0% from 3-point range in 20.7 minutes.Cleveland’s movement on offense: The Cavs’ offense continues to be the best in the league with an offensive rating of 120.9. They rely on player and ball movement leading to quality looks, as they rank fifth in assists per game (29.0), and first in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.23) and 3-point percentage (39.4).Sixers’ defense struggling: Philadelphia has dropped seven in a row and has struggled to stop their opponents on offense. Their defensive rating of 126.0 ranks dead last during this stretch, as they’re allowing more than 11 points per possession over their defensive rating of 114.7. The Sixers have a net rating of -14.3 over their 7-game losing streak. Going up against one of the league’s best offenses, Philadelphia’s defense will need to snap back into form.Tyrese Maxey has been stellar: Maxey has been a bright spot for the Sixers this season, as his 26.4 points per game ranks 7th in the NBA. Over his last six games, the fifth-year guard has upped his scoring output to 30.8 a night while dishing out 7.2 assists, recording two double-doubles in the process. Philly will need another big night from their rising star to keep pace with Cleveland’s balanced attack.