The Philadelphia 76ers were aiming to “bounce back,” according to coach Nick Nurse, from Thursday's disappointing loss to the New York Knicks, and they did just that against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

"A lot of length, a lot of size, they got really good defense to protect the rim. I think both guards can hurt you in a lot of ways,” Nurse said of the Cavaliers’ roster prior to the matchup.

There were an abundance of Knicks fans in Wells Fargo Center on Thursday, but the arena was packed full of Philadelphia supporters on Friday evening. The Sixers won the tip-off, wasting no time to get the crowd on their feet. Forward Kelly Oubre Jr. delivered a monster slam dunk on the opening possession over Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen. The star of the show for Philadelphia, Tyrese Maxey, kicked off his night with a stepback three-pointer. The opening quarter was highlighted by the late efforts of guard Cameron Payne, who grabbed an offensive rebound for a layup and drained a corner shot from the arc to level the score at 25 after one.

The second quarter began with Tobias Harris struggling, with multiple missed shots inside the paint within the first three minutes. However, Payne picked up for the slack on offense, with points from all three levels. Maxey operated the pick-and-roll game with forward K.J. Martin masterfully, which led to a clear lane for Martin to score. The efforts of Allen and guard Isaac Okoro kept Cleveland within reach until halftime, when the Sixers led by three points.

Payne led the 76ers in scoring at the half with 13 points, while star guard Darius Garland led the Cavs with 12 points. 

The Cavaliers were refreshed coming out of the break as Okoro found the basket for two, followed by a drive-and-score from forward Max Strus. Maxey refused to let the Cavs take over, responding with multiple contested shots of his own. Harris was able to find a rhythm at the midway point of the quarter, draining a three-pointer and a set of free throws. Triples from sharpshooter Buddy Hield and Oubre increased their lead to 11 points. Late energy from big man Evan Mobley and Strus kept the Cavaliers competitive, with a score of 74-70 entering the final 12 minutes.

The final quarter began with an electric acrobatic finish from guard De’Anthony Melton, followed by a fluent mid-range shot from center Paul Reed. Interior defense was a glaring issue for the Sixers throughout the night, with Allen taking full advantage. The night couldn’t end before Maxey created a multitude of looks for himself down the stretch, which resulted in a 24-point outing. It was a back-and-forth battle until the final buzzer, but ultimately the 76ers prevailed. Despite the comeback attempt from Cleveland, a deep-range three-pointer from Hield was the dagger, resulting in the 104-97 victory.

The Sixers are facing off against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday evening, where Patrick Beverley makes his return and Payne takes on his former team.

“It’s turnt. It’s turnt. Let’s get it,” Payne told Basketball News postgame when asked about playing against the Bucks.