The new-look Philadelphia 76ers just walked into Madison Square Garden on Tuesday and absolutely spoiled the New York Knicks’ championship banner night, dropping 106 points on the defending champs in a 106-100 season-opening thriller. What a way to kick off the season!
LeBron and Brown’s Debut Was Pure Fire for Philly
Yeah, you read that right. LeBron James and Jaylen Brown are now 76ers, and they did not disappoint in their debut. Philly’s chemistry looked solid from the jump. LeBron put up a super-efficient 14 points, 9 boards, and 7 assists, adding a steal and a block for good measure. Brown chipped in with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, a steal, and a block of his own. But it was Tyrese Maxey who went off, leading all scorers with 28 points, plus 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals and blocks each. Joel Embiid also had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, dishing out 6 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. Even rookie VJ Edgecombe dropped 9 points.
The Sixers’ D was legit, too. They forced Jalen Brunson into a rough shooting night, holding him to 6-of-19 from the field and a painful minus-14 plus-minus. They were moving the ball like crazy, racking up 28 team assists, and turning steals and rebounds into easy points in transition. Bench guys Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anfernee Simons added 10 and 13 points respectively, showing off that depth. Dean Wade is still waiting to join that party when he’s healthy, too. If this is “one game,” then this team is scary.
Knicks Left Stunned After a Brutal Banner Night
Imagine raising your championship banner from last season, the crowd is hyped, the energy is insane, and then you lose your home opener to a rival. Brutal. That’s exactly what happened to the Knicks. Jalen Brunson led them with 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, but it was a tough night shooting for him. Karl-Anthony Towns had a strong performance with 19 points and 12 boards, plus a steal and 2 blocks, while OG Anunoby added 10 points and 5 rebounds. Josh Hart contributed 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, and Andre Drummond had a monster 12 points and 14 rebounds off the bench with 4 assists, a steal, and 2 blocks.
Look, it’s one game out of 82. The defending champs aren’t gonna sweat it *too* much against a squad as talented as Philly’s new lineup. But still, you know the Knicks and their fans had to be gutted to lose on a night when they were supposed to be celebrating. The Sixers just walked in and blew up the party.
What a start for the Sixers! They’ve got a chance to build on this momentum Thursday when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers. As for the Knicks, they’ve gotta shake off that brutal banner night loss fast, hitting the road Friday to face the Boston Celtics. Talk about a tough rebound game!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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