Sixers vs. Cavaliers: LeBron James and Jaylen Brown make their Philly debuts tonight at Xfinity Mobile Arena

The Sixers play their home opener tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Philadelphia gets its first live look at LeBron James and Jaylen Brown in a Sixers uniform. Tip is at 7 p.m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena. ESPN has the broadcast.

Sixers Arrive at 1-0 After Spoiling Knicks Ring Night

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The Sixers opened the season Tuesday in New York, on the night the Knicks received their championship rings and raised the banner. Philadelphia won 106-100 anyway.

Tyrese Maxey led the way with 28 points. Brown had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. James finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. Joel Embiid added 13 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. The defense did the heavy lifting. The Knicks shot 37% from the floor, and Jalen Brunson went 6 for 19.

The bench contributed too. Anfernee Simons hit three 3-pointers and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit two, mostly on open looks the Knicks gave up while chasing the bigger names.

It was not a clean game. The Sixers shot under 28% from three and got out-rebounded, with Andre Drummond pulling down 14. One win proves little. Still, the Sixers beat the defending champions on banner night with a roster that had never played a regular-season game together.

Cavaliers Open Their Season in Philadelphia Without a Sure Allen

Tonight is Cleveland’s season opener, and the Cavaliers are not at full strength. Jarrett Allen is questionable with right patellar tendinopathy, the same knee that cost him time last season. Khalifa Diop and Nae’Qwan Tomlin are out.

If Allen sits, Evan Mobley moves to center and Jaylon Tyson is the favorite to start. Asking that group to handle Embiid is a tall order. The rest of the core is intact: Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Mobley, with Kenny Atkinson coaching. Cleveland reached the Eastern Conference finals last season before losing to the Knicks.

The Cavaliers also swept the Sixers in all four meetings last season. The last one was a 115-101 win on March 9. The roster has changed dramatically since then, and Embiid and Maxey are among the holdovers.

Then there is James. He is from Akron, and he has played for Cleveland twice. Now he opens his Philadelphia home schedule against the Cavs. Mike Gansey, who runs basketball operations for the Sixers, came over from the Cavaliers front office.

Sixers vs. Cavaliers: What to Watch

Embiid against the Cleveland frontcourt. If Allen is out, the Cavaliers have no good answer for Embiid inside. He anchored the defense against New York, and he can do the same job against Mobley and Cleveland’s reserves.

Mitchell and Harden against the Sixers’ perimeter defense. Brown, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe held Brunson to 6 of 19 on Tuesday. Mitchell and Harden are a tougher backcourt to guard for 48 minutes.

The Sixers bench. Dean Wade is questionable with an ankle injury. Dominick Barlow, Ariel Hukporti and Tacko Fall are out. Simons and Caldwell-Pope need another night of knocking down open shots.

76ers Prediction

The Sixers are favored by 3.5, and that is the right side. Cleveland is playing its first game without a certain center. Philadelphia has a loud home crowd, a 1-0 record and a starting five of Maxey, Edgecombe, Brown, James and Embiid.

Sixers 113, Cavaliers 105.