Joel Embiid, Sixers Take Down Cavaliers in Cleveland on Wednesday

The Philadelphia 76ers failed to enter this week's slate of games with back-to-back victories. After defeating the Orlando Magic on Sunday, the Sixers hosted Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets the following night.

Joel Embiid rose to the occasion in the battle against last year's MVP, but his supporting cast failed him. As Denver's bench dominated Philly's, the Sixers came up just short and picked up their 26th loss of the year.

On Wednesday, the Sixers looked to bounce back with a familiar opponent they've had success against this season in the Cleveland Cavaliers.

When the Sixers hosted the Cavaliers before the 2022 NBA All-Star Break, James Harden hadn't joined the team just yet. Despite missing the ten-time All-Star and the pieces they sent away to acquire him, the Sixers came out on top against Cleveland.

Then when the two teams met for a rematch after the break, Harden joined the Sixers and helped them take down the Cavaliers for the second time this season.

Looking for Revenge

For the first this season, the Sixers paid a visit to the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Wednesday night. Although Joel Embiid was questionable with back soreness, he was cleared for action right before the game.

With Embiid fighting back stiffness and having the home-court advantage this time around, the Cavaliers had an opportunity to get a win on the Sixers.

But even an injured Joel Embiid going against a Jarrett Allen-less Cavaliers lineup issued Cleveland a tall task they didn't seem up for at first.

In the first 11 minutes of action, Embiid was unstoppable. After taking seven shots from the field, Embiid made all but one of his shots. He wrapped up the first quarter with 13 of Philadelphia's 30 first-quarter points.

Embiid's supporting cast joined the party when the second quarter rolled around. Tyrese Maxey, who scored nine points in the first quarter, collected four more in the second. Meanwhile, Tobias Harris came alive and hit on five of his six shots in the second quarter to collect 12 points.

After dropping more than 40 points in Cleveland during the second quarter alone, the Sixers went into halftime with a 72-59 lead.

A Close Call

A 17-point lead in the first half wasn't enough to scare the Cavs away. As Cleveland rallied for 31 points in the third quarter, the Sixers had a brutal offensive showing to counter. As Philadelphia shot 26-percent from the field and went 0-8 from three, they were outscored by 18 points.

Going into the fourth quarter, the Sixers lost their double-digit lead and trailed by five. Fortunately, Philly's starters kept them alive. Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey each scored at least eight points in the final quarter of action.

While the game came down to the wire, the Sixers squeaked out of Cleveland with a 118-114 victory. Embiid celebrated turning 28 with a stellar 35-point performance. In addition to his scoring, he collected 17 rebounds and five assists.

As for the rest of the Sixers' starting lineup, Maxey and Harden notched over 20 points of their own while Harris bounced back with a 19-point performance. With Wednesday's victory, the Sixers take home their 42nd win of the year as they now look to take on the Dallas Mavericks in South Philly on Friday night.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_