Cavaliers at 76ers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the lone undefeated team in the NBA and also own a 5-0 record for the first time since the 1976-77 season. Cleveland attempts to continue its hot start when it visits the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.
The 1976-77 Cavaliers won their first eight games and the latest version can move closer to that mark if they can defeat the 76ers for the seventh consecutive time. "We want to continue to get better," small forward LeBron James told reporters after Thursday’s 128-122 victory over the Boston Celtics. "When we get up on teams, we've got to figure out how to continue to just push the lead up or just keep it where it is and not allow teams to get back into the game." Philadelphia is winless but feeling good about making progress this season due to center Joel Embiid being healthy after missing his first two seasons because of foot issues. Embiid was held out of Wednesday’s 109-93 loss to the Charlotte Hornets because it was the second contest of a back-to-back but averaged 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots over the first three games.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (5-0): James scored a season-best 30 points against the Celtics and is just two points behind Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946) for 10th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. James also had 12 assists and seven rebounds against Boston and is averaging 22.4 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds per game while helping fuel the hot start along with point guard Kyrie Irving. "We're three years in with one another. We know what to expect," Irving, who is averaging 26 points, told reporters. "We have something that we're building here that's very special. And the trust and responsibility and everything that we depend on from one another is already there. It's not like we had to come in training camp and had to figure things out right away.”
ABOUT THE 76ERS (0-4): Power forward Ersan Ilyasova scored a team-best 14 points in his Philadelphia debut on Wednesday after being acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder for young forward Jerami Grant. The 29-year-old Ilyasova provides the 76ers with some veteran stability, and he sees Embiid and forwards Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel and feels Philadelphia is close to turning the corner. "We have to work together as a unit," Ilyasova told reporters. "When you look at last year and the year before, those records stick with you. But winning is a habit and as soon as you start winning you feel more confident about yourselves."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Cavaliers went 4-0 against the 76ers last season, but three of the victories were by 10 or fewer points.
2. Okafor (knee) is averaging 9.3 points in three games and his minutes are being watched closely after surgery late last season.
3. Cleveland PF Kevin Love scored a season-high 26 points against Boston and is averaging 22 points and eight rebounds.