March 9, 2026, 9:23 p.m. ET

CLEVELAND — The Philadelphia 76ers paid a visit to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night looking to get back in the win column. When considering they have slid into the No. 8 seed in the East, they needed a win in the worst way, but it would be a tough challenge when considering Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and VJ Edgecombe were all sidelined.

The Sixers held an early lead, but the Cavaliers then kicked it into high gear and led by double digits for most of the night on their way to a 115-101 win to send Philadelphia to an 0-2 road trip. Former Sixers star James Harden had 21 points, five rebounds, and five assists for Cleveland while Keon Ellis had 19 and Donovan Mitchell had 17 points and six assists.

The Sixers were led by Quentin Grimes who had 17 points and five rebounds while Cam Payne added 12 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Dominick Barlow added eight points, and Justin Edwards added 14 points off the bench while Adem Bona had eight points and seven rebounds.

Here are the player grades following the win:

Cam Payne: C-plus

Payne was feisty in this one. The veteran guard was aggressive on the glass as he gave the Sixers a spark in that area of the game while playing with a ton of energy and doing a number of different things on the floor. He could’ve been more helpful in terms of the offense because the Sixers needed some scoring, but Payne had an overall nice night in terms of what to expect. He had some good moments and made some solid plays. The Sixers will need more scoring overall, but Payne will be able to run the offense.

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Quentin Grimes: B-plus

The Sixers received an aggressive start from Grimes as he bolted up into two 3s early and gave Philadelphia some much-needed offense in the early going of this one. The fast start led to an overall good night as he was able to get aggressive and give the Sixers the offense they needed. He was scoring in a variety of ways and was able to get things moving in the right direction. If Philadelphia can continue to get this type of production from Grimes until the stars come back, it would be a big help for this group on a nightly basis.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: C-minus

Naturally, the offense ran through Oubre a lot in this one. The Sixers put the ball in his hands and allowed him to operate from the perimeter. However, it was a tough night for Oubre as he wasn’t able to find his rhythm and couldn’t give the Sixers the offense they needed from the perimeter. There were some defensive issues as well.

Dominick Barlow: C

With so much offense sidelined for this one, Barlow did his best to make up for it in this one. He was aggressive with his offense as he moved well without the basketball. His cuts to the basket set up layups and looks at the rim which kept the scoreboard moving in the early going. He is going to have to be more aggressive as time goes on with the stars sidelined, but Barlow did some good things in this one.

Adem Bona: C-plus

The Cavaliers are a tough matchup for Bona because of the size they present, but he certainly battled all night. He was helpful on the glass and was bouncy on the defensive end as he was able to stay in front of Cleveland’s guards on switches and did his best to protect the rim. He had some tough moments, but had an overall solid night.

Andre Drummond: C-minus

The initial stint for Drummond wasn’t great. While his size is a big help in a contest such as this one, he had a tough time defensively as Cleveland’s guards were able to get into the paint and finish. He did rebound the ball well and made some free throws, so there’s that.

Justin Edwards: B

Edwards gave the Sixers some much-needed offense in the second quarter of this one. He got into the paint and pulled up for a mid-range shot and then knocked down a triple in order to give Philadelphia an offensive presence. He also provided offense in the second half, so the Sixers have to hope he can build off this and continue to produce.

Trendon Watford: C-plus

The Sixers received a tough-minded Watford in this one. He brought an edge on the defensive end of the floor and battled all night, but he committed some turnovers and wasn’t able to convert on his open looks. His mind was in the right place in this one, but the execution wasn’t there.

Jabari Walker: C-plus

The big man got himself a bucket in his first stint just by running the floor. Walker played with a lot if energy, per usual, and gave the Sixers a lift in that department. He knocked down a 3 in the second half.

Dalen Terry: C

Terry had a tough start as he missed an open 3 and had some rough defensive moments in his first stint of the night. He was able to get some shots to fall in the second half as he was able to fight through contact and finish.

Tyrese Martin: C-minus

Martin hopped onto the floor and had a tough start. He missed an open jumper and then missed two free throws along with committing two turnovers, but he did grab two rebounds, so there’s that. He was able to get some offense going in the second half.

MarJon Beauchamp: Incomplete

The initial stint for Beauchamp was quick as he played a minute and had a turnover. The Sixers then pulled him after that.