LeBron James’ first night in Philadelphia gave him something that had eluded him through every prior stop in his career: a win in a season opener with a new team.
In his 24th NBA season, James helped the 76ers knock off the New York Knicks 106-100 on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, a result that spoiled the defending champions’ ring night and marked a clean start to his latest chapter. It was also his first opening-night victory in a debut with a new franchise after falling short with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, the Miami Heat in 2010, Cleveland again in 2014 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018.
This time, James wasn’t asked to do everything. He put up 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block, steering the offense more as a connector while Philadelphia’s new-look roster did plenty of the heavy lifting.
Tyrese Maxey set the tone with 28 points, five assists and three steals. Jaylen Brown, making his 76ers debut after being traded from the Boston Celtics in the offseason, added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Joel Embiid finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
The second half belonged to Philadelphia. The Knicks took a 58-54 lead into halftime, but the Sixers flipped the game with a 29-18 third quarter. James and Brown kept finding each other during that stretch, capped by Brown tossing an alley-oop to James and then James feeding Brown for a buzzer-beating three that sent Philadelphia into the fourth up 83-76.
New York never got the lead back. Maxey’s steal and coast-to-coast layup pushed the margin to 104-98 with 1:52 remaining, and James closed it out by hitting two free throws with seven seconds left.
Philadelphia’s defense also made the night difficult for Jalen Brunson, who scored 21 points but shot 6-of-19. Karl-Anthony Towns added 19 points and 12 rebounds.
James also got a frosty reception from the crowd. Knicks fans chanted “We don’t want you” while he was at the line in the first half, and he was later seen jawing with fans.
The Sixers will try to keep the momentum going Thursday when they host the Cavaliers.
In Other News...
76ers Already Have A Joel Embiid Problem They Couldnt Hide
The season opener offered a reminder that the 76ers biggest question may not be about their stars, but about what happens when Joel Embiid has to take a breather. Against the Knicks, Philadelphia looked exposed behind him as Adem Bona and Jabari Walker had a tough time dealing with Andre Drummond, a matchup that quickly turned into a problem the Sixers could not paper over for long. Injuries already have thinned the center group, and the team had to get creative just to survive stretches without its anchor in the paint.
Philadelphias depth chart at the position now feels like something worth watching closely, especially if the early-season rotation has to lean on stopgap answers more than expected. The Sixers can live with a lot when Embiid is on the floor, but the opener showed how quickly the matchup can tilt once he is not, and it left an obvious question hanging over the roster: whether this team will need to find more reliable help at center before those minutes decide a game again. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Nurse Still Has A Knicks Grudge The 76ers Havent Settled
The 76ers have already made their presence felt against New York once this season, walking out of Madison Square Garden with a 106-100 win that spoiled the Knicks ring and banner ceremony. For Philadelphia, it was more than just an early-season road victory. It was the kind of result that still carries some extra edge for a team that has spent time looking back at what happened against the Knicks in the playoffs.
Nick Nurse has not completely let go of that loss in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and the frustration around it still lingers as the two teams measure themselves again. Philadelphia has also reworked its roster with Jaylen Brown and LeBron James in the mix, giving the club more ways to navigate the season if Joel Embiid misses time. Even so, the Knicks remain a familiar source of unfinished business for a coach who clearly has not moved on from the last postseason meeting. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Just Reopened An Uncomfortable 76ers Debate
Paul Georges first night in Boston looked a lot like the kind of performance the 76ers spent a season hoping to see more often. In the Celtics season opener, George poured in 38 points and added five rebounds, three assists and five steals, immediately looking like a player with more room to operate than he ever consistently found in Philadelphia. The fit was different from the start, with Boston putting him in a larger role and giving him the freedom to play like a primary option alongside Jayson Tatum.
For the 76ers, it reopened an uncomfortable question about what exactly went wrong during Georges time in Philadelphia. Injuries were part of the answer, but so were the team dynamics around him, which never seemed to let his game breathe in the way it did against his new backdrop. If this is the beginning of a resurgence, it only sharpens the sense that the Sixers may have watched a different version of George emerge just as he moved on. [Read more 🡒]