Sixers Win Again as Andrew Bynum Returns to Philly

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers heard all the whispers before the season started. They were predicted by most experts to be among the worst teams in the league, if not the worst.

Through six games, the Sixers are choosing not to listen.

Evan Turner scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Tony Wroten added 18 points and the Sixers cruised past the Cleveland Cavaliers 94-79 on Friday night, overshadowing the return of Andrew Bynum.

Thaddeus Young added 16 points, while James Anderson and Michael Carter-Williams had 11 each for the Sixers, who ended a two-game losing streak and improved to 4-2. Spencer Hawes scored 10 points.

"I think the biggest thing is we're not listening to anyone on the outside and we're just coming to work ready to play," said Young, who added eight rebounds. "We have a young, hard-working group of guys in here and we all have a lot to prove. We just need to stick together and I think our confidence is growing with each win."

Wroten's offensive output was a career-best.

"It was a great feeling," Wroten said. "Hard work has paid off. Getting an opportunity to play is a blessing."

The buzz leading into the game was the return of Bynum, who signed a two-year, $24 million contract with the Cavaliers in July.

Bynum had been acquired by the Sixers in a four-team, 12-player trade in the summer of 2012. But the two-time All-Star center never played for the Sixers because of bilateral bone bruises in both knees. He had season-ending arthroscopic surgery in March and wound up signing the incentive-laden deal with the Cavaliers as a free agent.

Booed every time he touched the ball, Bynum played 18 minutes in a reserve role and finished with four points and five rebounds.

"It was just another game for me," Bynum said.

Bynum said he wasn't bothered by the chilly reception from the Philadelphia fans.

"I thought it was a little weak," Bynum said. "I thought it was going to be much worse. It wasn't."

Dion Waiters led the Cavaliers with 18 points while Jarrett Jack and C.J. Miles added 13 each.

Tristan Thompson had 13 points and 16 rebounds and Kyrie Irving contributed 10 points on 4-for-17 shooting for Cleveland, which fell to 2-4 with all four losses coming on the road.

"We need some grittiness and some toughness to surface, especially on the road," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "Right now, it's not happening and I don't know if it's because we don't have the home crowd giving us a little extra energy or what it is."

The Sixers built a 19-point lead early in the fourth quarter. Cleveland never got within single digits the rest of the way.

The Cavaliers led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but the Sixers finished the half strong and took a 44-42 advantage into the locker room.

Game notes

Cavaliers F Anthony Bennett left the game with 8:37 remaining in the second quarter and didn't return because of a sprained right shoulder. Bennett, the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft, was scoreless in six minutes and remains 1 for 20 from the field through six games. . Sixers C Daniel Orton missed the game because of right knee soreness. . The Sixers wore red, white and blue headbands in honor of Veterans Day, which is Monday.