Despite a near-comeback against conference rival Philadelphia 76ers, LeBron James was not taken aback by a narrow loss than bump the Cleveland Cavaliers down to fourth place in the East.
The Cavs came out flat and trailed by as much as 30 points in the second quarter, managing to mow down that lead to trail by only one with 12.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Cleveland trailed by three points with 3.3 seconds to go as Kevin Love found James, who had had the game in his hands after being fouled by Robert Covington at the 3-point line — making the first, missing the second, and then the third intentionally in hopes to tie the game.
“I mean, we dug ourselves that hole,” James said after a career-high 18th triple-double on the season was spoiled by defeat, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “So we’re a prideful team, and the only way we get back into the game was just kind of get scrappy and play a little bit more physical, make some shots. But no, listen, we was down 30, and for us to come all the way back, it just shows what we’re capable of doing.”
Head coach Tyronn Lue agreed with James’ assessment, noting the Cavs had chances to win the game, but fell short.
“We could’ve just gave in, but the guys showed pride and came out and fought tonight,” Lue said of his team, after needing a 17-point fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Washington Wizards on Thursday in the start of a back-to-back. “Hats off to them. They played very well, and we might see them down the road.”
James was able to see the silver lining in this loss against a Sixers team that has now won 13 straight games, with less than half of them coming without big man Joel Embiid, who is till recovering from an orbital fracture.
This is only the Cavs’ second loss in the last 10 games, with only a road-and-home set against the New York Knicks left to finish out the season.
