As they stepped onto a throwback court in Cleveland on Wednesday night, the Sixers were a team not even 24 hours removed from beginning a game in Chicago that had been fast-paced, physical, grueling and heartbreaking . There were signs of fatigue in Chicago, where all of the Sixers' best players had either played significant minutes against the Bulls or already been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Cavaliers.

All of that was immediately evident on Wednesday night. With an energized arena behind the Cavaliers and star guard Darius Garland in his season debut, the Sixers blinked and found themselves trailing 17-4. It immediately seemed clear that it would be one of those nights.

The Sixers, to their credit, refused to let go of the rope. They made some spirited pushes, particul

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