Cavaliers Host Undermanned 76ers After Tough Loss to Celtics

Cleveland looks to bounce back against short-handed Philadelphia squad missing key players

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Cleveland Cavaliers will host the undermanned Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, looking to rebound after a tough loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday. The Cavaliers were thoroughly outplayed by the Celtics, falling behind by 26 points in the third quarter. All-Star Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, but the Cavaliers struggled mightily from 3-point range, missing 20 of 22 attempts. The 76ers will be without standout point guard Tyrese Maxey, who suffered a sprained right finger, as well as center Joel Embiid, who is out with a right oblique strain. The 76ers have dropped out of a top-six playoff position and now sit eighth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Why it matters

This game is an important one for both teams as they jockey for position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Cavaliers will look to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the Celtics, while the short-handed 76ers will try to keep pace in the standings despite key injuries to Maxey and Embiid.

The details

The Cavaliers were led by Donovan Mitchell's 30 points, but the team struggled mightily from 3-point range, missing 20 of 22 attempts. Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged that the team was 'a little overzealous' with 3-point attempts against the Celtics. The 76ers will be without standout point guard Tyrese Maxey, who suffered a sprained right finger, as well as center Joel Embiid, who is out with a right oblique strain. The 76ers have dropped out of a top-six playoff position and now sit eighth in the Eastern Conference standings.

  • The Cavaliers will host the 76ers on Monday night.
  • Tyrese Maxey suffered his injury on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks.

The players

Donovan Mitchell

All-Star shooting guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers who scored 30 points in the loss to the Celtics.

Tyrese Maxey

Standout point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers who suffered a sprained right finger and will miss the next two games.

Joel Embiid

Center for the Philadelphia 76ers who is out with a right oblique strain.

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What they’re saying

“Against a team like that, it's really make or miss. And we missed a lot of open 3s. That was one of the worst halves of shooting we've had all season.”

— Donovan Mitchell (statenews.net)

“We'll judge that based on what happens. Obviously, it's huge, right, with everything we've got going on with other guys out.”

— Nick Nurse, Philadelphia 76ers coach (statenews.net)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game highlights the importance of depth in the NBA, as the short-handed 76ers will have to find a way to compete without key players like Maxey and Embiid. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, will look to bounce back from a tough loss and solidify their position in the Eastern Conference playoff race.