Road-weary Sixers welcome stretch of 13 of next 18 games at home

CLEVELAND – The 76ers’ relentless season-opening stretch of road games is over.

Now, they have the luxury of having three straight games and 13 of 18 at the Wells Fargo Center.

“How can that not be just fantastic?” coach Brett Brown said following Sunday afternoon 114-95 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. “Philadelphia crowds, our home court, our home fans, there is a uniqueness about that building and them. Because we have, especially, traveled a lot lately, you appreciate it and recognize it even more.”

The Sixers (8-5) have played nine of their first 13 games on the road. While 4-0 at home, they’re 4-5 on the road. Sunday’s victory snapped a five-game road losing streak.

“We hope to take this learning experience that we are going through on the road, figuring out new people, a new team and so on, and amp it up at home,” Brown said. “Use that opportunity to get a lot more wins.”

The Sixers will host New York on Wednesday before playing back-to-back nights at home against San Antonio (Friday) and Miami (Saturday). Then after facing Toronto in Canada (Nov. 25), they’ll entertain Sacramento (Nov. 27) before away-and-home back-to-back against the Knicks (Nov. 29) and Indiana (Nov. 30) to close out the month.

Then eight of their first 11 games in December will be at home.

“It’s great that we’re finally going to be at home,” Joel Embiid said.

Embiid thinks the Sixers should have won more than four road games so far. He notes that they “messed up a lot."

“But last year we had a great record [31-10] at home," he said. "We love that home, especially me, love that home-court advantage. So it’s going to be great, and I’m sure the fans are going to help us a lot.”

A bird flew around the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse during Sunday’s game. At one point in the second quarter, it landed in the paint closest to the Sixers’ bench. Several Philadelphia fans on hand reacted by yelling “E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles” once the bird flew away.