The 76ers vs Knicks season opener at Madison Square Garden began with New York raising its championship banner and collecting rings on Tuesday night, but the celebration ended with the visitors on top. The Philadelphia 76ers rallied in the second half to beat the defending champions 106-100, on a night when LeBron James and Jaylen Brown made their Philadelphia debuts.
How the game turned
New York controlled most of the first half and led from late in the first quarter, feeding off the energy of its first title celebration in 53 years. Philadelphia flipped the game after the break. The 76ers closed the third quarter with an 11-0 run to take an 83-76 lead, defending with far more intensity than they had shown early. The Knicks twice cut the lead to a single point in the final three minutes, but the 76ers answered each time and closed the game out at the free-throw line and on the defensive end.
76ers vs Knicks player stats: Maxey leads, LeBron fills the sheet
Tyrese Maxey was the best player on the floor, scoring a game-high 28 points with 5 assists. Jaylen Brown, acquired from Boston over the summer, added 19 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in his first game as a 76er. James, starting his NBA-record 24th season at age 41 with his fourth team, finished with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists, doing most of his work as a playmaker rather than a primary scorer.
Joel Embiid contributed 13 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists, rookie VJ Edgecombe scored 9, and the bench produced 23 points, 13 from Anfernee Simons and 10 from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Philadelphia won despite shooting just 27.5% from three-point range, out-assisting New York 28 to 21 and scoring 24 fast-break points.
Knicks player stats: Brunson’s tough night
Jalen Brunson led New York with 21 points, but the Finals MVP shot only 6 of 19 from the field as Philadelphia’s defense crowded him all night. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 19 points and 12 rebounds despite foul trouble, Andre Drummond added 12 points and 14 rebounds off the bench, Josh Hart scored 14 and OG Anunoby 10. As a team the Knicks shot just 37.2% from the field, a cold start for a group that had swept Philadelphia in last season’s playoff semifinals on the way to the title.
What it means
One game does not settle anything in an 82-game season, but this was a statement from a rebuilt Philadelphia roster that was embarrassed by New York in the spring. Adding Brown and signing James after he left the Los Angeles Lakers has given the 76ers a starting five with scoring, size and experience, and on opening night their defense traveled. James said afterwards that he is still finding his rhythm after only a couple of weeks with the new group, but liked the way the team played, especially defensively. Philadelphia plays its first home game on Thursday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers, while the Knicks will try to shake off the ring-night hangover on the road.
Read more basketball coverage in our Sports section. Box score reference: ESPN’s 76ers vs Knicks game recap.
