Two days ago, the 76ers lost to the Cavaliers at home as a slight favorite. The game wasn’t even close. On Friday night, these two teams face off once again. Will the 76ers get their lick back tonight against the same team that blew them out last game, or will Cleveland dominate once again?

The Philadelphia 76ers are covering the -2.5 spread tonight against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers in a highly anticipated rematch at Wells Fargo Center. Just two days after suffering a humiliating 133-107 blowout loss to the Cavs on the same floor, the Sixers enter this contest with revenge on their minds, healthier key pieces, and a favorable matchup shift due to Cleveland's mounting injuries.

Motivation will be sky-high for Philadelphia. The January 14th defeat exposed defensive lapses and a lack of physicality, particularly in containing Donovan Mitchell's 35-point explosion. Head coach Nick Nurse has emphasized bouncing back in rematches, and the Sixers have shown resilience this month, posting a strong 5-2 record in January entering this stretch. Tyrese Maxey, who has been the engine in Joel Embiid's load-managed minutes, will look to exploit Cleveland's depleted backcourt for aggressive drives and open threes.

The biggest swing factor is Cleveland's injury report. Star point guard Darius Garland is officially out with right great toe soreness after exiting the previous game early, robbing the Cavs of their primary playmaker and floor general. Sam Merrill (hand) and Dean Wade (knee) are also sidelined, thinning an already inconsistent rotation. Without Garland orchestrating the offense, Cleveland's ball movement suffers dramatically—evident in their struggles when he's off the floor this season. Mitchell will shoulder even more burden, but Philadelphia's improved perimeter defense (led by potential returnee Paul George, listed as probable) can focus on containing him without fearing secondary creation.

On the flip side, the Sixers are getting healthier at the right time. Joel Embiid is probable for knee injury management and has looked dominant when active recently, returning closer to All-Star form with efficient scoring and rim protection. Paul George is also trending toward playing, adding wing versatility that was missing in the blowout. Against Cleveland's frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, a motivated Embiid can feast in the post, drawing doubles and creating open looks for Maxey and shooters.

Home-court advantage further tilts this game. The Sixers are tough at Wells Fargo, and the short spread (-2.5 across major books) undervalues their adjustments and Cleveland's absences. 

Expect Philadelphia to dictate the pace, protect the paint, and pull away late for a statement win by 5+ points. Take the Sixers -2.5 confidently tonight; they bounce back after their horrid loss to this same Cavs team the other night.