Knicks raise banner vs. LeBron's 76ers on opening night
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- The Knicks raise their championship banner on NBA opening night, Oct. 20, against LeBron James and the 76ers (7 p.m. ET).
- Opening night's tripleheader closes with Thunder vs. Spurs (9:30 p.m. ET), a rematch of the West finals won by San Antonio in seven games, after Celtics at Pistons on NBC (3 p.m.).
- The 76ers were swept 4-0 by the Knicks in last season's East semifinals before adding James (41) and Jaylen Brown in the offseason.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo debuts for the Miami Heat against the Timberwolves on Oct. 21 as part of ESPN's opening-week doubleheaders.
- Christmas Day features five games on ABC/ESPN, including James facing his former Lakers and Spurs-Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
- The Knicks play their NBA-record 59th Christmas game, a tradition that started with the 1947 holiday matchup at Madison Square Garden.
Why it matters: The NBA concentrated its biggest storylines into opening night and Christmas Day: the Knicks' banner ceremony alongside LeBron's 76ers debut, a Thunder-Spurs West finals rematch, Giannis's Miami debut Oct. 21, and James vs. his old Lakers. With Philadelphia retooled after a 4-0 playoff sweep, the league gets maximum star-power density before its full schedule drops Thursday.
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