Imagine being down 29 points in your home opener, with your own fans booing you off the floor. Now imagine turning that same night into one of the biggest comebacks of LeBron James’ career. That is exactly what the Philadelphia 76ers pulled off against the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning 114-106 after trailing 69-40.

And honestly, the comeback was incredible. But if you are a Sixers fan, there is a bigger question worth asking. Is this the team that can finally make a serious championship run, or are we getting carried away after two games?

LeBron’s first home game in Philadelphia certainly delivered a moment to remember. The 41-year-old finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, but he was not the star of the show. Tyrese Maxey led the way with 32 points, Joel Embiid added 24, and Jaylen Brown chipped in 21. Four players scoring at least 17 points is a pretty good way to announce yourself.

The best part? Philadelphia did not need LeBron to take over every possession. Maxey brought the pressure, Embiid took charge in the fourth quarter, and Brown found his rhythm when the team needed him most. That is the sort of balance you want from a team hoping to survive four playoff rounds.

Still, the first half was a different story. The Sixers turned the ball over repeatedly, struggled to find their rhythm and could not get much going from beyond the arc. They finished just 7-for-28 from three-point range. Cleveland took advantage, building a 29-point lead before Philadelphia finally found a response. For a team with championship ambitions, that opening half cannot become a habit.

The turnaround began with a change in intensity. Philadelphia scored 37 points in the third quarter while Cleveland managed just 21. The Sixers kept attacking, applied more pressure on defense and stopped giving the Cavaliers easy possessions. By the fourth quarter, the game had completely changed, and Embiid’s seven straight points helped Philadelphia take its first lead at 96-95.

Nick Nurse’s adjustments mattered, but so did the players’ response. Philadelphia committed only two turnovers in the second half after its disastrous opening stretch. Cleveland, meanwhile, finished with 21 turnovers. The Sixers also held the Cavaliers to 37 second-half points, turning a game that looked finished into a fight Cleveland could no longer control.

LeBron summed up the roller coaster of the night perfectly after the win.

“We got the boos. That was amazing and we deserved it. And then we got the cheers and almost blew the roof off this thing, in a good way. It was a hell of a night.”

That reaction says plenty about the emotional swing inside the arena. But the more interesting comments came from Embiid, who believes this group has a different mindset from Philadelphia teams of the past.

“No shade to anybody that’s been here, but in the past, a lot of people would’ve just laid down and tried to move on to the next one. We’ve got the talent. I would like for us to not be in that position again, in the first place, so we don’t have to do it every night, because that takes a lot of energy. But yeah, it was different. I said it last game, after the game. It just feels different.”

That is encouraging, especially when you consider what this roster brings to the table. Maxey can create his own shot, Brown gives Philadelphia another scoring option and a proven two-way wing, while LeBron brings years of playoff experience. Nurse also has a championship on his coaching résumé, so the pieces are there for this group to make some noise.

But here is where things get tricky. Embiid played only 38 regular-season games last season and has appeared in just 96 regular-season games over the past three years. The Sixers are also managing Embiid’s workload early this season, making his availability the biggest question hanging over their championship hopes. The Sixers can look terrifying when he is on the floor, but they need him available when the games matter most.

LeBron’s role is another factor. He played 33 minutes against Cleveland and committed all five of his turnovers in the first half. He still contributed across the board, but Philadelphia cannot expect him to carry the offense night after night at this stage of his career. The encouraging part is that Maxey, Embiid and Brown can take turns leading the attack. The challenge is making that balance work consistently.

And then there is the Eastern Conference. The New York Knicks entered the season as defending champions, and they swept Philadelphia in the second round of last season’s playoffs. Cleveland remains a talented team despite its collapse, while Detroit and Boston also give the Sixers plenty to think about. Beating two strong opponents to open the season is impressive, but two games are not enough to settle the question.

So, are the 76ers genuine title contenders? They have the talent, the star power and the experience to make a deep playoff run. The comeback also showed that they can respond when things go badly, and winning without needing LeBron to be their leading scorer is a promising sign.

But one unforgettable night does not prove a team is ready to win a championship. Philadelphia must prove it can stay healthy, protect the ball and play with the same intensity before falling into a 29-point hole. The comeback showed just how high this team’s ceiling could be. Now the Sixers need to prove that this level of basketball can become the norm, not the exception.