The banner went up. Then Philly crashed the party.
For 53 years, Knicks fans waited for this night. The rings came out, the 2026 championship banner rose to the Madison Square Garden rafters, and the building shook. Then the Philadelphia 76ers walked onto the same floor and won 106-100.
Welcome to the new season. Nobody cares what you did in June.
How the Sixers stole ring night
The Knicks led 58-54 at halftime and looked like a team riding the emotion of the night. The third quarter flipped everything: Philadelphia outscored New York 29-18 and never gave the lead back.
Tyrese Maxey was the best player on the floor with 28 points, three steals and 12 fast-break points. LeBron James, in his first game as a Sixer, didn’t need to dominate. He filled the box score with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Joel Embiid struggled from the field but still posted 13 points and 11 rebounds.
For New York, the shots just didn’t fall. The Knicks hit only 37% from the field, and Jalen Brunson, last season’s Finals MVP, needed 19 shots to score 21. Karl-Anthony Towns was the bright spot with 19 points and 12 rebounds on 6-of-9 shooting.
| Top performers | Pts | Reb | Ast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrese Maxey (PHI) | 28 | 4 | 5 |
| Jalen Brunson (NYK) | 21 | 5 | 3 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK) | 19 | 12 | 1 |
| LeBron James (PHI) | 14 | 9 | 7 |
| Joel Embiid (PHI) | 13 | 11 | 6 |
Should Knicks fans panic?
No, but they should pay attention. All summer, pundits called the Sixers the team to beat in the East after adding LeBron and Jaylen Brown. Opening night gave them their first piece of evidence.
The Knicks kept every starter from their title team, and one cold shooting night doesn’t erase a championship. The real test comes soon: the two teams meet again in Philadelphia on October 30 to open the NBA Cup. If the Sixers win that one too, this stops being a fluke and starts being a rivalry.
Around the sports world
Football. The season is well underway, and the storylines are piling up. [Add your take: a surprise team, a struggling favorite, or the game you’re watching this weekend.]
Formula 1. The U.S. Grand Prix hits the Circuit of the Americas in Austin this Sunday, October 25, followed by Mexico City the next weekend. With the season winding down, every point matters now.
Golf. [Add a quick hit: who’s winning, who’s slumping, or what tournament is up next.]
Your call
The banner is permanent. The bragging rights aren’t. So tell me in the comments: are the Knicks repeating, or is this the year the Sixers take the East?