James finished with 30 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists in 39 minutes for his 58th career triple-double during the regular season and third this year.
Jeff Green, Kyle Korver, and Dwyane Wade all scored 13 points off Cleveland's bench. Jae Crowder scored 12 points, including a dagger 3-pointer from James with 40.9 seconds left for a 104-98 lead.
The Sixers were led by 19 points apiece from J.J. Redick and Robert Covington, who was injured trying to save the ball out of bounds with about 1:08 left and did not
return.
The Cavs were missing Kevin Love \(hip soreness) and the Sixers held Joel Embiid out with a game Sunday coming against New Orleans.
J.R. Smith moved ahead of Kobe Bryant \(1,827 3-pointers) for 12th place on the NBA's all-time 3-point list with two 3s for the Cavs.
Dario Saric, who was questionable with eye and facial injuries, added 17 points for the Sixers.
Trevor Booker, acquired Thursday from Brooklyn in a trade for Jahlil Okafor, made his Sixers debut off the bench and finished with 12 points.
The Sixers led 13-3 and 18-7 in the first quarter, but the Cavs ripped off a 13-2 run of their own and trailed just 24-23 when it
was over. Ante Zizic, starting for Love, was out of the game for good after about five minutes.
Cleveland led by as many as 12 in the second quarter and was ahead 52-46 at halftime. The Cavs' bench was the difference, at one point outscoring the Sixers' reserves 27-6. Wade had seven points and four assists in the first half.
James scored 12 in the third quarter, but the Cavs' seven turnovers kept them from pulling away. Cleveland led 78-73 heading into the fourth, and Covington's 3-ball with 11:18 to go tied it at 78. Redick's 3 with
10:10 remaining put the Sixers ahead 84-81 with 10:10 remaining.
The Sixers led 96-91 with 4:43 to go and scored just two more points. James started the Cavs' run with a drive and foul shot with 4:22 left.