The night LeBron James will want to erase from his memory: a historic streak broken

The return of LeBron James to Cleveland ended in the worst way possible. The forward for the Philadelphia 76ers had a night to forget at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, where his team lost 119-96 to the Cavaliers in an NBA Cup game. The 41-year-old player scored only eight points, shooting a poor 3 of 12 from the field, and recorded six turnovers in a performance that contrasted with the warm welcome he received from the crowd.

The loss also highlighted a particularly striking statistic in James' career. His eight points ended a streak of 396 consecutive games played in Cleveland with at least 10 points scored. The last time he scored fewer than that in the city was on December 29, 2004, just one day before turning 20 years old.

A very different welcome than in 2010

The visit had special significance. It was the first time James returned to Cleveland since the Cavaliers tried to sign him last summer. The franchise was unable to convince the veteran, who ultimately decided to join the Sixers after also dismissing the options from the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Miami Heat during free agency.

The disappointment in Cleveland over not securing his return was considerable. Kenny Atkinson, the Cavaliers' coach, acknowledged last month that the news was a blow to the organization. "During the first or second day, you honestly feel depressed," he explained, recalling how they had accepted that James would not wear the team's jersey again.

This time, however, the atmosphere was very different from what he encountered during his first visit as a player for the Miami Heat. Most fans stood up to cheer him, and the cheers he received even surpassed those dedicated to Cleveland's starters.

James did not seem particularly impressed by the reception. His relationship with the Cavaliers' fans has gone through very different moments, and for him, no comparison can match what he experienced on December 2, 2010.

"After all, as far as the reception goes, nothing can be worse than what happened on December 2, 2010," he recalled. "I've lived from the depths of hell to the heights of heaven in terms of how I am received here. So anything in between is a piece of cake."

That night remains one of the most tense episodes of his career. James returned to Cleveland after announcing his departure from his hometown team to join Miami. The decision, communicated through a nationally televised special, provoked a furious reaction from fans who felt the superstar had turned his back on them.

At 25, the forward had to endure a rain of boos and criticism. But he responded on the court in the most emphatic way possible: he scored 38 points and led the Heat to a 118-90 victory. Sixteen years later, with gray in his beard and a much longer career behind him, his return had a completely different outcome.

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James acknowledges he couldn't find his rhythm

The problem this time was not in the stands but in his performance. James struggled to overcome Cleveland's defense, could not find his shooting touch, and recorded six turnovers. It was one of those nights when he seemed to feel the wear of a career that has already reached 24 seasons in the NBA.

The player himself did not look for excuses when evaluating his performance. "I know that, damn it, I was not good at all," he admitted after the game.

He also could not find offensive continuity during the game. "Yes, I definitely didn’t feel in a good rhythm on offense," he explained. "We weren’t very accurate offensively... I had too many turnovers and couldn’t find my rhythm."

James' performance, however, was not the only problem for Philadelphia. Joel Embiid, the other former MVP on the roster, also had a particularly negative night. The center finished with six points and 0 of 9 from the field, marking the second worst performance of his career in terms of shooting accuracy. His lowest record had come six years ago, when he ended with 0 of 11 against the Toronto Raptors.

The result was a highly unusual statistical combination. James and Embiid became the third pair of former MVPs in NBA history to finish a game with fewer than 10 points and a field goal percentage of 25% or lower.

Despite the severity of the loss and the poor night of their two main figures, the Sixers hold an 8-2 record after the first ten games of the season. James wanted to put the result in perspective and recalled that he would have accepted that start without hesitation.

"Tonight was not our night, it was not exactly our best performance," he admitted. "But listen, if you had told me that our team would have an 8-2 record after the first 10 games of the season, I would have taken it without a doubt."

Philadelphia will have the opportunity to turn the page this Sunday when they visit the Chicago Bulls. After a particularly bitter night for James in a city he knows better than most, the Sixers will look to regain their form and put behind them a loss where their two former MVPs were far from their best version.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La noche que LeBron James querrá borrar de su memoria: una racha histórica rota