Sixers spoil Knicks' banner night, rally to 106-100 win — SkimNews
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- Philadelphia 76ers rallied for a 106-100 victory over the New York Knicks on opening night at Madison Square Garden, spoiling the Knicks' championship banner-raising and ring ceremony.
- Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 28 points while Jaylen Brown — in his Philadelphia debut after being acquired from Boston — added 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.
- LeBron James opened his NBA-record 24th season with 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in his first game after signing with Philadelphia as a free agent from the Los Angeles Lakers.
- Joel Embiid posted 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists as Philadelphia closed the third quarter with an 11-0 run capped by Brown's buzzer-beating 3-pointer, which gave the Sixers an 83-76 lead.
- Jalen Brunson scored 21 points but shot just 6-for-19 from the field, and the Knicks collectively shot 37% overall and 33.3% from three-point range on the night.
- Anfernee Simons hit three 3-pointers and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added two more off Philadelphia's bench, exploiting open looks as the Knicks over-focused on the bigger names.
- Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds for New York, which had swept Philadelphia in the second round of last season's playoffs en route to its first NBA title since 1973.
Why it matters: Philadelphia's aggressive offseason overhaul — signing LeBron and trading for Jaylen Brown — produced an immediate statement win against the reigning champions that swept this same roster last spring. Brunson's 6-for-19 night and New York's 37% shooting showed the Sixers' new-look depth (Simons, Caldwell-Pope) exploited a vulnerable defending champ on opening night.
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