The Philadelphia 76ers opened the NBA season with a 106-100 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on October 20, 2026, spoiling the Knicks' championship banner ceremony. The game marked the debut of LeBron James in a Sixers uniform, following his offseason move from the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron James faces hostile reception in Sixers' season opener
LeBron James, now playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, received a hostile reception from Knicks fans during his debut in New York. Fans chanted "We don't want you! We don't want you!" as James stepped to the free-throw line early in the game. The reaction stemmed from James' past comments suggesting he would have preferred to join the Knicks had New York not won its first NBA championship since 1973 the previous season. James finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, while the Sixers' Tyrese Maxey (28 points), Jaylen Brown (19 points), and Joel Embiid (13 points, 11 rebounds) led the team to victory. James scored his first basket on an uncontested layup in the paint.
Knicks' championship banner night marred by T-shirt error
The Knicks' celebration of their 2025-26 NBA championship was overshadowed by an erroneous T-shirt giveaway distributed to fans before the game. The shirts incorrectly read "2026-27 Champions Night" instead of honoring the team's newly won title. The Knicks shared images of the shirts on social media, inviting widespread mockery. The error occurred despite the team's historic June 13, 2026, Game 5 win over the San Antonio Spurs to secure the championship. The misprint was later framed by some as a potential collector's item, though the team did not comment on the mistake.
Sixers capitalize on Knicks' emotional night
The Sixers' victory denied the Knicks a celebratory opening night, though LeBron James downplayed the significance of the moment. "It was a great night for New York fans," James said. "Fifty-plus years. I was a part of that at one point where we hadn't won a major championship in Cleveland in over 50 years. The fans will never forget this moment." The game featured strong performances from the Sixers' core, including Embiid, who contributed a double-double. The loss marked a disappointing start to the season for the Knicks, who had just celebrated their championship banner raising.