LeBron James throws down monster pregame dunk in Cleveland return

LeBron James returned to Cleveland on Friday, November 6, 2026, as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers for an NBA Cup group-stage matchup against the Cavaliers at Rocket Arena.Before tipoff, James attracted attention with an impressive dunk during warmups, demonstrating that he remains capable of explosive plays at age 40.The Akron, Ohio, native also received a largely warm welcome during the starting lineup introductions. Cleveland holds special significance in his career: he spent 11 seasons with the Cavaliers across two stints and led the franchise to its first NBA championship in 2016.However, the atmosphere changed once the game began. Some fans booed James when he touched the ball, and Cleveland's defense prevented him from finding an offensive rhythm.James finished with only eight points, seven rebounds and three assists in approximately 31 minutes. He made three of 12 field-goal attempts, missed all four three-point attempts and committed six turnovers.Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 23 points, while Evan Mobley contributed 22. The Cavaliers won 119-95, handing Philadelphia its second loss of the season.It was only the tenth regular-season game of James's 24-year NBA career in which he scored fewer than ten points, making his difficult performance particularly notable.