PHILADELPHIA – The Cavs begin a new season against franchise legend LeBron James and the superpowered Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena today. This matchup is available on multiple streaming services for free.
How to watch Cavs vs. 76ers today
- What: NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers
- When: Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026
- Time: 7 p.m. Eastern
- Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena | Philadelphia, Pa.
- Channel: ESPN
- Streaming options: DIRECTV (free trial and $35 off your first month), FuboTV (free trial and $25 off your first month), SlingTV and ESPN Streaming
How do I watch Cavs vs. 76ers for free?
The Cavs season opener will broadcast live on ESPN at 7 p.m. Eastern. You can take advantage of free trials from DIRECTV and FuboTV, which offer large discounts on your first month.
You can watch this game on Sling TV for $19.99 per month with Sling Essentials, which offers ESPN, ESPN2, Disney Channel and more.
Fans can also stream this game and dozens of other live sports with ESPN Streaming for $13.99 per month.
The Cavs reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2018, but were swept by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks after blowing a massive lead in Game 1 at Madison Square Garden.
The Eastern Conference was enhanced greatly in the offseason, making a return to the conference finals a gauntlet in itself. Cleveland, guided by head coach Kenny Atkinson, counters with the high-ceiling core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and James Harden.
Peyton Watson will make his highly anticipated Cavs debut two months after being acquired from the Denver Nuggets in a multi-team trade. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 49.1% from the field last season. Watson’s defensive identity is expected to elevate the Cavs’ expectations even further.
Cleveland is already dealing with the injury bug as center Jarrett Allen (right patellar tendinopathy) is questionable for the season opener. Nae’Qwan Tomlin (back) and Khalifa Diop (knee) are out.
With Allen uncertain, the Cavs could lean on Thomas Bryant to log an extra workload against Philadelphia’s fearsome paint presence of Joel Embiid.
Croatian forward Mario Hezonja is looking to revive his career in Cleveland. The Tomlin and Allen injuries give Hezonja a strong opportunity to make an impactful first impression. He will be playing in his first NBA game since Aug. 31, 2020.
The Cavs swept the season series against a much different-looking Philadelphia last year, winning both games at home and both on the road.
Watch Cavs vs. 76ers for free with DIRECTV
The 76ers (1-0) began their campaign with a 106-100 victory over the defending champion Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 20.
Philadelphia prevailed behind Tyrese Maxey’s 28 points while Jaylen Brown, playing in his first game since being acquired from Boston in the offseason, added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
James, the NBA all-time leading scorer, began his NBA-record 24th season with 14 points, nine rebounds and six assists. He has traditionally thrived against Cleveland after joining a new team.
Embiid added an opening-night double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Philly’s bench saw all of its contribution from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anfernee Simmons, who combined for 23 points, including timely 3s. They finished a combined 5 of 14 from beyond the arc.
Dean Wade (ankle) is questionable for tonight’s matchup.
Watch Cavs vs. 76ers for free with FuboTV
Who is announcing Cavs vs. 76ers?
Mike Breen (play-by-play), Tim Legler (analyst) and Richard Jefferson (analyst) will be the announcers while Lisa Salters reports courtside.
What are the latest odds for Cavs vs. 76ers?
Spread: PHI: (-3.5), CLE: (+3.5)
Moneyline: PHI: -146, CLE: +124
Point total: 235.5
