How the Cavaliers Depth Shined in Bounce-Back Win Over the Philadelphia 76ers

One of the Cavaliers' most impactful bench players was guard Keon Ellis, who the team acquired at the 2026 NBA Trade Deadline.

Feb 11, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Keon Ellis (14) stands on the court in the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers needed a bounce-back win following a disappointing loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon.

And the Philadelphia 76ers were the unfortunate foe that felt the Cavaliers' wrath.

On Monday, March 9, the Cavaliers played host to the 76ers at Rocket Arena in Cleveland for yet another home bout in Cleveland. The Cavaliers barely flinched, taking down the 76ers, 115-101, with numerous players helping contribute to the victory.

What stood out most in the win was the team's bench depth, which yet again showed just how good they can be when needed.

Recently acquired guard Keon Ellis put up 19 points and hauled in two rebounds, while swiping one steal. On the shooting side, he knocked down 5-of-9 from the field and an impressive 4-for-7 from deep range. Ellis has never been known to be that strong of a three-point artist, but unlocking that type of offensive contribution from him before the playoffs is valuable.

"Man... We're discovering his [Keon Ellis'] offensive capabilities," head coach Kenny Atkinson said. "I saw a couple things I haven't seen him do yet -- come off a DHO, get in the lane, shoot the floater, I didn't even know he had that.

"We're still discovering him."

While forward Dean Wade started, he's still another example of bench depth stepping up when called upon.

He finished Monday's game with a really impressive 13 points, 10 rebounds and two assists. Like Ellis, he was efficient in his shooting splits too, hitting 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-6 from deep range. He also tacked on one block.

When reflecting on Wade's play, Atkinson praised his rebounding, even though the Cavaliers were using a relatively small lineup.

"I think it's the rebounding -- you don't get destroyed on the boards, which usually happens when you get small," Atkinson said. "He's stout enough to give you some rim protection. But [with a] small sample size, it's been really good for us."

Center Thomas Bryant got into the game as well off the bench, helping under the backboard. He played just 13 minutes, but scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds.

Alongside those three, Tristan Enaruna and Riley Minix also received time on the court. Both aren't considered bench depth, but rather reserves. Getting them action before playoff time hits helps them stay fresh, while also increasing general team morale.

The Rest of the Roster

Outside of the bench depth, the usual starters still looked really good.

James Harden led the team in scoring with 21 points, while also posting five rebounds and five assists, with counterpart Donovan Mitchell adding 17 points of his own. Those two are flowing really well side-by-side, which is going to be important for the team's success when the playoffs roll around.

Without center Jarrett Allen on the court, forward Evan Mobley had to step up and fill the Cavaliers' void down low. Wade took most of the boards, but the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year grabbed eight himself.

As a team, Cleveland finished with a strong 45.2% field goal mark and 36.4% mark from outside of the arc. For the first time in quite a while, the free-throw line was nearly automatic as well, with the team going 23-of-25 from the stripe.

This is the type of bounce-back performance that the Cavaliers needed following a tough loss on Sunday.

Now, the hope is that the team can continue to string together wins and keep momentum trending upwards as the regular season approaches its conclusion.