Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden.
Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks officially rang in the start of the 2026-27 season with ring night on Tuesday and a clash against the new look Philadelphia 76ers. And it ended up being a disappointment of a night for Knicks fans as the 76ers strode into Madison Square Garden and left with a 106-100 win. And immediately after the game, new 76ers star LeBron James was candid when asked if spoiling a team’s ring night is special.
“Yeah, I do,” James responded. “It’s pretty special.”
LeBron James was solid in his official 76ers debut against the Knicks. He finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, one steal and one blocked shot in 34 minutes of play. He shot 5-of-13 from the field, 0-of-3 from the 3-point line and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line.
The 76ers were led by Tyrese Maxey’s 28 points. Jaylen Brown added 19 points in his official 76ers debut and Joel Embiid finished with 13 points. Anfernee Simons added 13 points off the bench and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope dropped 10 points.
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ClutchQuiz
Question 1 of 4
The "Grit and Grind" Grizzlies became one of the NBA's toughest identities, built on defense, rebounding, and half-court bruising. Which coach led Memphis to the 2013 Western Conference Finals during that era?
Mike Fratello
Over on the Knicks’ side of things, they were led by reigning Finals MVP Jalen Brunson who finished with 21 points. Karl-Anthony Towns added 19 points, Josh Hart had 14 points, Andre Drummond finished with 12 off the bench and OG Anunoby had 10 points.
After a loss of this magnitude, against a new conference foe no less, there will likely be tons of overreactions from Knicks fans across social media. It’s important to remember that it is just Game 1 of the season, and there are 81 more to go. A lot can happen between now and then.