Cavaliers 127, 76ers 125, 2 OT
CLEVELAND -- The third time was a charm for Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving.
Irving failed to make winning shots at the end of regulation and the first overtime. He wasn't denied with 0.6 of a second left in the second overtime.
Irving's driving layup handed the Cavs a heart-stopping 127-125 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena.
The All-Star led all scorers with a season-high 39 points and added five rebounds and a season-high 12 assists.
The Cavs (3-4) outscored the 76ers 11-9 in the second overtime.
They used a game-changing 18-7 run in the fourth quarter to get back in the game.
Coach Mike Brown went with a three-guard offense with Dion Waiters, Jarrett Jack and Irving on the court with big men Anderson Varejao and Tristan Thompson.
Sixers forwards Evan Turner (31 points, 10 rebounds) and Thaddeus Young (29 points) wore them out the entire night.
Turner's driving layup with 8.7 seconds left knotted the score at 116 in the first OT.
Irving missed a highly contested shot in the lane at the buzzer, and the two teams went into the second overtime.
Irving drained two free throws with 21.1 seconds left in the second OT to hand the Cavs a 125-122 advantage.
But impressive 76ers rookie Michael Carter-Williams buried a 3-pointer with 11.3 seconds remaining.
The Cavs' starting backcourt of Irving and Waiters combined for 63 points and 18 assists. Waiters had 22 after halftime, 12 in the third quarter when he kept the Cavs in the game.
The Sixers (4-3) started the third quarter on a 12-3 run. It was only a sign of things to come.
Philadelphia dominated the third quarter, outscoring Cleveland 37-22. The Sixers opened a 10-point bulge at 85-75 heading into the fourth quarter.
Carter-Williams continued his outstanding start for the Sixers. He ended with 21 points, seven rebounds and a game-high 13 assists.
Sixers center Spencer Hawes added 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Power forward Tristan Thompson had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavs, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Center Anderson Varejao added 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Jack came off the bench and fired in a season-high 20 points, four rebounds and five assists.
Irving missed a driving layup in traffic at the buzzer in regulation. The Cavs and Sixers were tied at 107 heading into overtime.
NOTES: Cavs F Anthony Bennett was cleared to play by the training staff. He suffered a strained shoulder in Philadelphia on Friday. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft has made 1 of 20 shots from the field this season. ... The Cavs decided to rest C Andrew Bynum on Saturday. He has yet to play in the second night of a back-to-back set. He missed last season after having knee surgery on both knees. ... Sixers G Michael Carter-Williams was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. The only other rookie to win the award to start his career was Orlando's Shaquille O'Neal. Carter-Williams' nine steals were the most ever by a player in his NBA debut. ... Cavs coach Mike Brown has decided to start SF Alonzo Gee instead of Earl Clark. ... The plan was for Bynum to eventually start at center, but he's been slow to round into form. "We're still in search mode with the first and second unit," Brown said. ... This is the third consecutive season the 76ers have started 4-2. ... Brown said rookie G/F Sergey Karasev is in consideration for more playing time. "I've always been intrigued with his skills," Brown said. ... The Sixers came into the game averaging 102.7 points per game. They've scored 100 or more points in four of their six games, including a season-high 114 vs. Miami on Oct. 30.
