In what will come as a surprise to no one, the Knicks will host LeBron James and the new-look 76ers to open the 2026-27 NBA season on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m.
Before the game against Philadelphia, the Knicks will raise their 2025-26 NBA championship banner to the rafters at Madison Square Garden.
Beyond signing James this offseason, the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown. Their starting lineup now features James, Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and V.J. Edgecombe.
It was also revealed on Tuesday that the Knicks will host the Spurs on Christmas Day in an NBA Finals rematch, in a game that will tip off at 12 p.m.
As the Knicks look to repeat as champions, they will return the same starting lineup that toppled San Antonio in the Finals -- Jalen Brunson,Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges.
The ultimate present for NBA fans will feature a host of the league's marquee teams. The matchups, announced on Tuesday, Aug. 11, are highlighted by LeBron James making his return to Los Angeles to face his former team, the Lakers.
🎁 Wemby, Spurs visit Brunson and the defending champion Knicks in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals 🎁 Tatum, Celtics host Giannis and the Heat in Beantown 🎁 LeBron returns to LA to face Luka and the Lakers 🎁 Shai and Ant go… pic.twitter.com/njuWV146ym
The New York Knicks will begin their defense of their NBA Championship when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers to open the 2026-27 season on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Madison Square Garden.
The day begins with the Boston Celtics visiting the Detroit Pistons, tipping off at 3 p.m. ET. Both teams suffered epic flameouts in the playoffs last season. Boston lost in seven games in the first round to the 76ers, and Detroit, as the East's No. 1 seed, also lost in seven games but in the second round to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Knicks will hold their championship banner ceremony before tipping off their title defense against the Sixers and new addition LeBron James at 7 p.m. ET. The nightcap will pit the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Spurs in San Antonio.
New York expects to bring back its starting five of Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl Anthony Towns for a chance at back-to-back championships. There have been eight different NBA champions in the last eight seasons, with the Golden State Warriors being the last to repeat in 2017 and 2018.
Philadelphia, which hasn't won an NBA title since 1983, brings star power that could challenge the Knicks in the Eastern Conference with the acquisition of Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics and the signing of James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, who will turn 42 in December. Tyrese Maxey, who averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists last season, and oft-injured former MVP Joel Embiid provide the 76ers with a top-heavy roster that hopes to compete for a title.
A CAN'T-MISS TRIPLEHEADER TO OPEN THE SEASON.
🍿 Jayson Tatum, Paul George and the Celtics visit Cade Cunningham and last year's top-seeded Pistons
🍿 LeBron James and Jaylen Brown make Sixers debuts vs. Jalen Brunson and the Knicks on their championship banner raising night at… pic.twitter.com/jazcOOP8PB
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 24: Isaiah Joe #11 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 24, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The big names and blockbuster trades have stolen the headlines, but championships are often determined by the under-the-radar moves that were overlooked by other teams. The Knicks might not have won the championship this past season without Landry Shamet, who signed a minimum deal in September and then made the team after Malcolm Brogdon abruptly retired during training camp. Good teams are usually buoyed by a team-friendly signing or a lopsided trade or by discovering a diamond in the rough.
Here are nine NBA moves that didn’t get much attention that could pay off big time in the upcoming season.
Pistons acquire Isaiah Joe for two second-round picks
Malik Beasley finished one bucket behind Anthony Edwards for the most made three-pointers in the NBA during the 2024-25 season with the Pistons. Beasley was then indicted on federal sports gambling and wire fraud charges before the Pistons could re-sign him, and Detroit had a noticeable lack of shooting by finishing No. 29 in three-point rate and No. 17 in three-point percentage last season. Isaiah Joe is one of the few shooters in the world on Beasley’s level, and the Pistons’ front office did well to pluck him away from the Oklahoma City Thunder for a couple second-round picks so OKC could trim their luxury tax bill. Joe hit 42% from three on six attempts per game last year, but what really makes him good is that he’s a solid screener who can run off pick-and-pops and hit shots off movement. He should be a natural fit between Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson on the perimeter, and Detroit has enough team defense to insulate him on that end when they need to.
Collin Gillespie agrees to four-year, $48 million deal with Phoenix Suns
Gillespie is an inspiring story for future journeymen. He signed a series of two-way deals after going undrafted out of Villanova in 2022, finally got a guaranteed contract with the Suns last season, and immediately popped as one of the best bargains in the league. It feels like Phoenix inked him to another team-friendly extension this year by locking him up for $48 million over four years before he could hit free agency. Gillespie graded out as a 90th percentile offensive player and 75th percentile defensive player in EPM last season, and he’s a fringe top-100 player in the league in RAPM. He’s a really good shooter who hit 40% of his threes on high volume (12.5 attempts per 100 possessions) last year while also hitting the glass well for his position. He’s also a solid enough defender to avoid putting extra pressure on Devin Booker on that end. Gillespie is just a smart, well-rounded player who will fit in well with Phoenix regardless of how the roster continues to develop. If Khaman Maluach can take the sophomore leap I’m expecting this season, the Suns might actually have a nice core around Booker.
Hornets trade Miles Bridges to Suns for an unprotected 2033 first-round pick + two rotation pieces
While I thought Charlotte sold low on LaMelo this offseason, there’s no doubt their Miles Bridges trade is a highway robbery. The Hornets took advantage of Suns governor Mat Ishbia’s Michigan State bias by leveraging an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, Grayson Allen, and Royce O’Neale out of Phoenix in return for Bridges. Bridges can put up decent volume scoring numbers, but he’s a mediocre or worse as a shooter and defender, and just isn’t really an impact player on both ends. This is amazing value for Charlotte for a player they won’t really miss. The Hornets are loaded with future assets right now, and already have a good young talent base and a sound identity crafted by head coach Charles Lee. This Phoenix pick could eventually be included in a trade that helps them take the next step.
Tari Eason, Houston Rockets agree to five-year, $81.5 million deal
It felt like this was the year teams finally took full advantage of their leverage in restricted free agency. The Rockets were able to keep Tari Eason around on an $81.5 million deal that will pay him about $14.1 million per year when he graded out as a $20.6 million player in Steph Noh’s salary tool. Eason’s offense abandoned him in the second half of last season, but he’s still a big, physical forward who can take on a variety of tough defensive assignments and help his team get out in transition. He’s a really good rebounder on both ends, and fits in well with the relentless style head coach Ime Udoka wants to play. Eason needs to figure out how to score more efficiently inside the arc, but maybe getting point guard Fred VanVleet back healthy this season will help in that department. Whether he’s part of the Rockets’ long-term or eventually turns into a trade piece, Eason should be a good player on a value contract for the entirety of his deal.
Hawks sign C.J. McCollum to one-year deal
The Hawks got better after they traded Trae Young midway through last season, eventually giving the Knicks their toughest series in the first-round of the playoffs last year with C.J. McCollum turning into their go-to guy in crunch-time. Atlanta brought back McCollum on a team-friendly one-year, $21 million deal over the summer to keep their conductor in place while maintaining flexibility for a bigger move in the future. McCollum is still really good at creating offense for himself and others, and players in that mold usually get huge contracts after proving they can do it in the playoffs. McCollum is at a point in his career where no one was going to break the bank for him, so returning to Atlanta for a nice pay day on a one-year deal made sense for both sides. Atlanta continued to add pieces (Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor) that will make them even more annoying to play against this season. Flemings should take over McCollum’s role eventually, but now he doesn’t need to be forced into critical minutes for a team that thinks it can actually win a playoff series this year.
Nets re-sign Day’ron Sharpe and Josh Minott
The Nets are expected to be the worst team in the league by the preseason over/unders, but I wouldn’t count on it. Jordi Fernandez is one of the best head coaches in the league, and he has a team that can surprise some people. Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle are a solid one-two veteran punch, and youngsters like Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr. give the team some future upside. I thought Brooklyn made a couple smart under-the-radar signings to their supporting cast by bringing back Day’ron Sharpe on a two-year, $20 million deal and landing Josh Minott for $9 million over two years. Sharpe has been better than Nets starting center Nic Claxton the last two years, so he should be an upgrade as he moves into a starting role by crushing the glass and finishing his chances efficiently inside. Minott found a home on the Nets after arriving midseason from Boston, showing off athletic wing defense and an improved three-point stroke. Tanking is dead, and Brooklyn doesn’t control its first-round pick in 2027 (owed to Houston) anyway, so they might as well try to be a plucky overachievers while building for the future. I think Fernandez can lead them there.
Dean Wade to the 76ers
The Sixers suddenly have a lot of guys who can score the ball. What they need now is some players who can do the dirty work, and that makes Wade an optimal signing. Wade joined Philly even before they executed the Jaylen Brown trade, let alone the LeBron signing, but he fits perfectly into the Sixers’ completed puzzle. The 29-year-old does his best work on the defensive end. He moves well on the perimeter for someone with his size (6’8, 230 pounds), and he should be Philly’s go-to wing stopper when he’s on the floor. Offensively, Wade is a low-usage forward who takes 70% of his field goal attempts from three, and knocks them down at a 36% clip. He can conceivably play some small ball five for a Sixers team that will need center options when Joel Embiid can’t play, and he’s versatile enough to fit into a variety of lineup structures come playoff time. Wade’s four-year, $38 million deal is easy to overlook in the Sixers’ star-studded offseason, but he’ll be a factor as soon as the season starts.
Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams to the Lakers on 1-year deals
The Lakers’ forward rotation is one of the biggest question marks in the league entering the season. Los Angeles clearly needs defensive-minded wings who can help cover up for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and funnel drivers to Walker Kessler’s rim protection, and they took two good, cheap fliers with free agents Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. Thybulle has long been one of the great defensive playmakers in the league, but his offense has always bordered on unplayable. He took a nice step forward last year in Portland by improving his three-point shot (43.8% on 3.8 attempts per game), and he could be a super valuable piece for the Lakers as long as he’s not killing their spacing. Williams was a toolsy wing scorer coming out of Stanford who realized his best chance to stick in the league was committing to being a good defender. He’s excellent at getting into the passing lanes and getting his team out in transition, and he also improved his three-point volume (nearly 10 attempts per 100 possessions) and accuracy (better than 34%) last year in Brooklyn. If anyone can make Thybulle and Williams playable on offense, it’s Luka Doncic, and they could be exactly what he needs to compete defensively.
Grizzlies acquire Isaiah Stewart for three second-round picks
Stewart helped make the Pistons one of the toughest teams in the league last year, and he’s should be a perfect fit into the Memphis Grizzlies’ culture. He’s an awesome secondary rim protector (7% block rate last season) on defense who can hit the glass and bring some toughness and physicality inside. He’s a pretty low usage offensive player, but his an efficient interior scorer who has made some progress with his three-point stroke to be a little bit of a floor spacer. Beef Stew can be a bit of a loose cannon on the court, but Memphis will love his personality, and he should be a culture setter for a rebuilder that is going to take off faster than most people realize around Cameron Boozer.
The NBA and NBC are bringing the drama this season right from the opening tip.
The NBA season tips-off on NBC on Oct. 20 with a triple-header that includes LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and the new-look Philadelphia 76ers looking to spoil ring night in Madison Square Garden as they face Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and the defending champion New York Knicks. Plus, we get a showdown of Western Conference powerhouses San Antonio and Oklahoma City, and it all starts with a showdown of two of the game's brightest stars, Cade Cunningham and Jayson Tatum.
This will be the first time that a network has ever broadcast three NBA Tip-Off games, and all of them can be seen on NBC and streamed on Peacock. The news was announced live on TODAY this morning.
It's a star-studded opening day lineup that includes 10 All-Stars and eight All-NBA players from a season ago. Among the players opening the season are the reigning MVP (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), Finals MVP (Jalen Brunson), Defensive Player of the Year (Victor Wembanyama) and the Coach of the Year (Joe Mazzulla). The official lineup for the opening night triple-header is:
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons (3 p.m. ET)
The NBA season on NBC begins with a matinee, a showdown between stars Jayson Tatum and Cade Cunningham, but also a meeting of the East's top two seeds from a season ago — and two teams expected to be near the top of those standings this year. It's a contrast of styles as Boston under Mazzulla will launch as many 3-pointers as any team in the league, while Detroit, with All-Star center Jalen Duren and the slashing-into-the-paint style of Cunningham, tries to dominate inside and work out from there.
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks (7 p.m. ET)
For the first time in 53 years, a championship banner will be lifted to the rafters in Madison Square Garden — and you can see it all on NBC. Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and the rest of the Knicks will get handed their championship rings by Adam Silver, and the party that has gone on all summer in New York in the wake of the Knicks' title will continue into October.
Then LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and the fully-loaded Philadelphia 76ers will take the court and look to spoil the mood.
Philadelphia was one of the big winners of the NBA offseason, first adding Jaylen Brown in a shocking trade from Boston, but giving the 76ers a player who finished sixth in MVP voting a year ago, averaging 28.7 points per game. That vaulted the 76ers into serious title-contender status and caught the eye of LeBron James, who overlooked the narratives everyone else had about his final stop in the NBA and chose the place where he felt he had the best chance of lifting a team to a ring. There are a lot of guys who like the ball in their hands and can score in Philadelphia, coach Nick Nurse has to make the puzzle pieces fit, but that's a First World problem to have.
Everything clicked for the Knicks in the playoffs last season — once they started running more of the offense through Towns as a hub — and the New York front office wisely decided to do their best to run it back with largely the same crew that just won a title. They re-signed Jordan Clarkson, Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado and Mohamed Diawara (but did lose Mitchell Robinson, to be replaced by Andre Drummond).
You can catch Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter and the NBA Showtime crew starting at 6:30 p.m. ET, a broadcast that will include the banner raising and ring ceremony.
Oklahoma City vs. San Antonio Spurs (9:30 p.m. ET)
Game 3 of the 2026-27 NBA season may feel like Game 8 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals.
The finale of NBC's opening night triple-header is a battle of juggernauts: The Oklahoma City Thunder vs. the San Antonio Spurs. Victor Wembanyama vs. two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The two teams that battled through an intense, exhausting seven-game Western Conference Finals last May — and the two heavy betting favorites to win the NBA title this year — face off on opening night in Texas.
Those young Spurs — Wembanyama, but also Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper — came of age during that playoff run where they seemed to grow with every game. San Antonio appears poised to take a step forward, but first they have to get past a healthy Oklahoma City team. In last season's Western Conference Finals showdown with the Spurs, OKC was without All-Star Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell — their second- and third-best shot creators — due to injury, but now a healthy Thunder team returns looking to recapture its crown.
NBC Sports' full regular-season NBA schedule will be released this Thursday (Aug. 13).
THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO -- Episode 2492 -- Pictured: (l-r) Musician Natalie Gilbert and NBA Portland Trail Blazers' coach Maurice Cheeks during an interview with host Jay Leno on May 19, 2003 -- (Photo by:Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
I saw this on X recently and had to smile. As it just so happens, I had caught Untold : Jail Blazers on Netflix. The documentary discussed the early 2000s Portland Trail Blazers and their quest for a title. It featured Rasheed Wallace, Bonzi Wells, Damon Stoudamire, and Shawn Kemp (but for reasons unexplained not Scottie Pippen).
At the time, Maurice Cheeks was Portland’s assistant coach. He stepped up before the game on April 25, 2003 and helped a young performer sing the national anthem.
In 2003, the most hated team in the NBA did the kindest thing anyone has ever done on a basketball court.
April 25, 2003. Rose Garden, Portland. Game 3 of the first round against Dallas. The Blazers are down 2-0 and facing elimination from the moment they wake up.
On March 2025, Maurice Cheeks came back to Portland, this time as an assistant coach with the New York Knicks. They invited Natalie Zito, née Gilbert — the same singer from 2003 — to perform the national anthem again. Now 35, Zito was a season ticket holder.
A pretty nice feel-good story to fill your basketball-less summer.
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CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 1: Gretchen Dolan #4 of the Illinois Fighting Illini dribbles against Oluchi Okananwa #7 of the Maryland Terrapins at State Farm Center on January 1, 2026 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — There are just a few months left before it’s basketball season. The Fighting Illini wrapped up their 2025-26 season 22-12, but they have a pretty new roster after a second-round exit to Vanderbilt in the NCAA Tournament.
Now, they have been working overtime this preseason with a healthier team and a few new faces.
A position-less team
Illinois is taking steps to create a solidly versatile team.
Each player is capable of playing at any position, regardless of size. A big could be at point and the shortest could be posted up in the paint.
“It’s kind of like position-less basketball, and I think you can do a lot of stuff within the offense and defense and combining both of those,” said guard Gretchen Dolan. “It really just opens everything up.”
Of course, all of the players have their own default position.
“Playing the five position, there are a lot of bigger people that I have to guard,” said forward Cearah Parchment.
Training in each role has built a deeper roster for Illinois. It makes it easier to sub in other players because everyone knows how to work each position.
“If someone gets in foul trouble, we can slide in there and have another player come in off the bench and be able to set out and guard,” said associate head coach Calamity McEntire. “It’s not just depth offensively. We’ve got some depth defensively.”
The team has spent this summer improving rebounds and box outs, especially thinking ahead to teams that dominate in terms of height. They ended the season averaging 35.6 rebounds per game but also gave up 31.7 rebounds. Defense will determine if the Fighting Illini has a successful season.
“We score a lot in transition, so if we don’t defend, we’re not getting those opportunities as well,” McEntire said.
Back on the court
After a season-ending knee injury, Dolan is officially back on the court.
“Just watching how they respond to situations individually and taking that in so that I know when I’m back on the court, I can help my teammates in a different way,” Dolan said. “I’ve always been the type of player to be a three-level scorer and to be a driver, so I think just getting back to that and my old self and not shying away from that.”
Dolan missed much of last season with a torn meniscus and underwent surgery in late February. She ended the season averaging 12.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
She’s made it past the mental struggles post-injury, so now she just needs to work on getting her physicality back.
“Really getting back to my physicality piece, like being comfortable driving and getting hit,” Dolan said.
She’s been spending this past summer regaining her strength and confidence.
“When you’re coming back from those injuries, there’s the contact piece, and not just absorbing it, but making sure you’re initiating it,” McEntire said.
Two returning point guards
Destony Jackson and Aaliyah Guyton will split point guard duties this season.
“They know the system; they know the expectations. They weren’t just it in, but they get a lot of minutes,” McEntire said. “It allows them to, not only know, but for their leadership to elevate as well.”
Jackson has been putting in the time to work on her off-ball movement, setting herself up for a quick catch and release. A slight setback in her shooting from last season came from her not being ready to shoot.
Both her and Guyton have been putting in the extra hours off the court to ready themselves for the upcoming season.
“Sometimes when point guards are coming out of high school, they aren’t taught to play off the ball a lot,” McEntire said. “Destiny and Aaliyah both are hoopers. They love to play the game, they love to work. There’s no problem with them knocking on my door and getting them to come in.”
It's a jubilant mob scene as happy fans carry Celtics' Tommy Heinsohn (L), coach Red Auerbach (Center, with victory cigar), and big Bill Russell (R) around the basketball court at Boston Garden April 27, 1964, after the Celtics won their sixth consecutive World's Championship. They defeated the Warrior's, 105-99. The Celtics are the only pro team in history to win six consecutive championships.
NBA history spans 80 seasons, and as CelticsBlog readers well know, the Boston Celtics have won a league-high 18 championships. This month, we are recapping each of those title years.
After Bob Cousy’s retirement, the Boston Celtics entered the 1963-64 season with a new point guard for the first time in 13 years. K.C. Jones, with five years of experience as Cousy’s backup, was more than ready to take the reins. The Celtics were going after their sixth straight NBA title, which would set a record for longest championship run in U.S. professional sports history.
If you think that was the buzz about the team, you would be wrong, because the questions being asked by fans and media were: “Can the Celtics win again without Cousy?” “Is the dynasty over?”
That’s right, hot takes and narratives existed in the Sixties. It’s true that losing the great Cousy, who was one of the few “small men” ever to win MVP, would be an adjustment. But wasn’t it obvious that the championships began to come when Bill Russell arrived? Russell changed the league, and five straight titles should have removed all doubts. And the big man was still wearing green and white.
The Celtics players reacted to all this talk as champions should. They had won in 1963 so that Cousy could go out on top, and now they were determined to prove they could win without him. So, despite all their success, “Nobody believed in us!” essentially became their motivation for the season.
K.C. Jones, wearing jacket, was ready to succeed Bob Cousy, <br>and his teammates, from left, Tommy Heinsohn, Bill Russell and Sam Jones, all knew it. | Photo by Paul J. Maguire/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
The regular season
The Celtics wasted no time in staking their claim. They began the season by winning 15 of their first 16 games, the one loss being by a single point on the road to the Cincinnati Royals. The Cs also ended the season on a 14-2 run to finish with a league-best 59-21 record.
As it turned out, Boston won the season series against every team except Cincinnati, going 5-7. This reflected how well Oscar Robertson performed throughout the 80-game schedule. The Big O averaged 31.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and a league-high 11.0 assists per game for the Royals, who finished second-best in the league at 55-25.
Robertson won the vote for MVP, ending Russell’s three-year streak. Russell did lead the league in rebounding with a career-high 24.7 average.
Celtics beef: rare. but spicy
An unusual rift occurred in January 1964 between Celtics founder/owner Walter Brown and his star power forward, Tommy Heinsohn, in his role as president of the NBA Players Association. The players union was founded in 1954 mainly through the efforts of Bob Cousy. Heinsohn succeeded him in 1958.
Walter Brown founded the Celtics in 1946. | Photo by Courtesy of NBA Photos/NBAE via Getty Images
The owners had promised to consider starting a pension fund for union members, but had for a long period been dragging their feet on following through. With the 1964 All-Star game scheduled for Boston Garden, Heinsohn persuaded his fellow stars to threaten a strike unless the owners took action that night. The union was leveraging that the owners would not jeopardize the national television broadcast of the game.
After some tense back-and-forth, the owners and commissioner Walter Kennedy agreed to move forward on their promises. The game went on as scheduled.
Heinsohn was no rookie at business negotiations. His other job (because players didn’t make enough money to live on from basketball) was as a successful manager in insurance sales. Heinsohn had also studied labor relations at Holy Cross and was especially knowledgeable about pensions.
Brown, perhaps the best and most player-friendly owner in the league, was livid and embarrassed that one of his Celtics instigated the episode. He called Heinsohn “the number one heel” in sports, which was a major insult in those days. The two didn’t speak again until after the season, when they put disagreements aside and buddied up again.
Two players on the roster were new to Boston. Rookie Larry Siegfried, a teammate of John Havlicek at Ohio State, was signed as a free agent. He was a Celtic for seven seasons as an all-purpose guard who could defend and shoot from outside. “Siggy” played 10 seasons in the NBA and was a double-figures scorer.
The other new Celtic was Willie Naulls, a seven-year veteran and four-time All-Star who had played with the Knicks, Hawks and Warriors. With those teams, the 6-foot-6 forward had appeared in just two playoff games. He was in Boston for three seasons and won three rings, contributing hard-nosed defense and rebounding with double-digits scoring.
Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers fights for position with Willie Naulls of the Celtics during a game at the Boston Garden. Naulls figured prominently in the Celtics breaking the unwritten quota rule. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The quota system
Black players had been competing in the NBA since 1950, when forward Chuck Cooper was drafted by Boston with the first pick of the second round (13th overall). During the Fifties and Sixties, amidst Jim Crow laws and the Civil Rights movement, it was an open secret that NBA teams followed a quota system, always having at least one white player on the floor. The fear was that using five black players at once risked alienating white ticket-buyers.
The interesting thing about the 1963-64 Celtics roster was that Naulls was now Tommy Heinsohn’s backup. Sometimes, when Red Auerbach made that substitution, Naulls was on the court with Russell, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones and Tom “Satch” Sanders. Five blacks. Because all Red wanted to do was win a basketball game. He couldn’t have cared less about unwritten rules.
(More on this topic in the next installment of this series.)
Eastern playoffs
With their league-best record, the Celtics once again received a bye to the Eastern finals. And their opponent was the Cincinnati Royals, who went the distance to win a best-of-five against the Philadelphia 76ers (the former Syracuse Nationals had relocated).
The Royals had won the head-to-head duel in the regular season, and they had a strong team that now included Rookie of the Year and future Hall of Famer Jerry Lucas, who played with Havlicek and Siegfried in college. Lucas was a tough power forward who averaged 17 and 17 in his first season.
The Celtics, however, had an equally good starting five, a much deeper bench, and far more postseason experience. With top defensive guard K.C. Jones now playing in place of offense-minded Cousy, Boston was in better position to hold down the Royals and their star Robertson.
This Boston squad posted a defensive rating of 83.8, which was more than five points better than the nearest challenger. They also grabbed the most rebounds (71.7) and held opponents to the lowest shooting percentage (.413) in the league.
Russell called this group “easily the best defensive team we ever had – and maybe the best of all time.”
The Celtics validated Russell’s observation by winning the series 4-1 and holding the Royals to 93.2 points per game. Cincinnati fell behind 3-0 and scored no more than 95 points in any of their losses. They had averaged 114.7 in the regular season.
NBA Finals
Boston fans mobbed the parquet after the Celtics won the 1964 NBA title, carrying Tommy Heinsohn (left), coach Red Auerbach (center) and Bill Russell around the court at Boston Garden. The Celtics became the only pro team in history to win six straight championships.
Out West, the San Francisco Warriors defeated the St. Louis Hawks, 4-3, advancing to their first Finals since the Warriors moved from Philadelphia. This meant another battle with Wilt Chamberlain, who was already 0-2 in series versus the Celtics and Bill Russell. Would the third time be the charm for Wilt?
Nope, not even close.
The matchup
Boston’s defense allowed just 105.1 points per game in the regular season, but San Francisco had the edge by allowing just 102.6. Two big reasons were Chamberlain at center and rookie Nate Thurmond at power forward. Thurmond was 6-foot-11 with a physique like a body builder. He would go on to a 14-year career in which he had 14,437 points and 14,464 rebounds.
San Francisco was directed by guards Guy Rodgers, who led the league in assists, and Al Attles, a future Warriors coach and pound-for-pound one of the toughest players the NBA had ever seen.
Games 1 and 2 were in Boston, with the Celtics winning by 12 thanks to a 32-15 second quarter, and by 23, with a 30-point lead after three quarters.
In San Francisco for Game 3, the Warriors opened with a 40-21 first quarter and never looked back – final score 115-91.
Turning point
The Warriors led 44-40 at halftime of Game 4, then the Celtics seized control with a 36-20 third quarter. Boston withstood a fourth-quarter rally by San Francisco to win, 98-95. Heinsohn and Sam Jones combined for 48 points as Boston took the commanding 3-1 lead.
It wasn’t over until…
Up 3-1 for the second year in a row, the Celtics were determined not to repeat last year’s mistake where they let Game 5 slip away and needed another trip to California to end it. This time, it was close for most of the 48 minutes, but a Russell putback dunk stopped a Warriors comeback bid and put Boston up four with about 10 seconds left. In the pre-three-point-shot era, that was a safe lead.
Notable facts and stats
In 10 playoff games, Boston’s defense allowed 100 points or more just three times.
Sam Jones led the Celtics in scoring for the series with 21.2 points per game.
Chamberlain averaged 29.2 points; he was at 36.9 in the regular season.
John Havlicek scored 18.4 points per game in the Finals, taking over the Sixth Man role from Frank Ramsey. In the closeout game, Ramsey scored 18 points off the bench.
Clyde Lovellette, Jim Loscutoff and Frank Ramsey all retired after the season.
Banner Years continues tomorrow with a review of the 1964-65 season and the road to winning Banner #8.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 04: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees reacts after hitting a solo home run during the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Yankee Stadium on August 04, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
New York Daily News | Gary Philips: Jazz Chisholm Jr. has lost himself a considerable amount of money in his pending free agency with his downright bad 2026. The Yankee second baseman has managed just a 92 wRC+ with a career high strikeout rate, and of course self-proclaimed that he’d be able to land a 50/50 season in spring training. Jazz hasn’t been the only problem with the team’s offense of course, but he’s been a major contributor — or rather, non-contributor. If nothing else he seems to at least be aware of it, but awareness is different from adjustment.
NJ.com | Adam Zagoria: Tommy John released a very sad public farewell to the Yankee franchise and fanbase over the weekend, as the 83 year old enters hospice care with bladder cancer. Dr. Chris Ahmad, the club’s head doctor, penned his own touching open letter to the man on Monday, acknowledging John’s place in baseball history and remarkable determination to return to the game despite the shortest of odds.
New York Post | Ethan Spears ($): The Yankees will not have a clear path through the AL without Aaron Judge returning and hitting like we’re used to seeing Aaron Judge hit. Cody Bellinger will also likely need to be back, patrolling left field and hitting cleanup. However, the emergence of both George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones as potential lineup-lengtheners give the club a couple more options, although relying on rookies — including one with just five games under his belt — to be reliable contributors through their first taste of MLB baseball is a risky endevor.
FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: Gerrit Cole and Max Scherzer have been contemporaries atop the “best pitchers in baseball” list over the last decade or so, and they mirrored each other in strikeout accomplishments over the weekend. Scherzer fanned the 3,516th victim of his career on Saturday, moving into the top-10 in all of baseball history, and moments later Cole sat down the 1,000th batter as a Yankee, the fastest to do so in pinstripes, needing just 139 games. Both pitchers are closer to their enshrinement in Cooperstown than they are to having lost prospect status, but we can still mark the milestones when they come.
To no one’s surprise, the star-loaded Sixers will feature in the NBA’s 2026 Christmas festivities.
The league announced Tuesday that the Sixers will visit the Lakers this year on Christmas. The game will tip off at 5 p.m. ET and be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. Other Christmas matchups include Knicks-Spurs, Celtics-Heat, Timberwolves-Thunder and Warriors-Nuggets.
The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25) for the 19th consecutive year, with ABC and ESPN both televising each matchup.
Highlights include the first meeting between the Knicks and Spurs since the 2026 NBA Finals, as well as new 76er LeBron James’ return… pic.twitter.com/CgWdaaFJXN
From trading Jaylen Brown to welcoming in a handful of veteran players, it’s been an offseason of significant change for the Boston Celtics.
And with everyone eager to see how everything comes together for the Celtics in the 2026-27 season, we now know when they’ll make their debut.
The NBA announced that the Celtics will play the Pistons in Detroit on Tuesday, October 20th.
Interestingly, the weekday game will tip off at 3 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock, with the league rolling out a full slate of games for its opening day.
The Celtics lost their opener a year ago in what proved to be a sign of postseason results to come, losing at home against the Philadelphia 76ers by a 117-116 final score.
That actually was the start of an 0-3 stretch to begin the season, part of a rocky opening month that had the Celtics at 8-8 through early November. They then went 15-4 through early January, en route to finishing with a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the East. In the playoffs though, the Celtics led a 3-1 lead over the Sixers slip away, leading to a first-round exit.
The Celtics will surely be on a mission to improve come playoff time next season, and nobody knows how successful they may be. We do now, however, have the official start date for the journey.
Also announced on Tuesday, the Celtics will host the World Champion New York Knicks on Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at TD Garden. On Christmas Day at 2:30 p.m., Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat will come to Boston .
The full NBA schedule will be released Thursday, August 13th.
From trading Jaylen Brown to welcoming in a handful of veteran players, it’s been an offseason of significant change for the Boston Celtics.
And with everyone eager to see how everything comes together for the Celtics in the 2026-27 season, we now know when they’ll make their debut.
The NBA announced that the Celtics will play the Pistons in Detroit on Tuesday, October 20th.
Interestingly, the weekday game will tip off at 3 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock, with the league rolling out a full slate of games for its opening day.
The Celtics lost their opener a year ago in what proved to be a sign of postseason results to come, losing at home against the Philadelphia 76ers by a 117-116 final score.
That actually was the start of an 0-3 stretch to begin the season, part of a rocky opening month that had the Celtics at 8-8 through early November. They then went 15-4 through early January, en route to finishing with a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the East. In the playoffs though, the Celtics led a 3-1 lead over the Sixers slip away, leading to a first-round exit.
The Celtics will surely be on a mission to improve come playoff time next season, and nobody knows how successful they may be. We do now, however, have the official start date for the journey.
Also announced on Tuesday, the Celtics will host the World Champion New York Knicks on Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at TD Garden. On Christmas Day at 2:30 p.m., Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat will come to Boston .
The full NBA schedule will be released Thursday, August 13th.
LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and the new-look Sixers will head to Madison Square Garden for their season opener.
The NBA announced Tuesday morning that the Sixers will visit the Knicks on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. ET as part of its opening night. NBC and Peacock will broadcast the matchup.
The 2026-27 NBA regular season will tip off on Tuesday, Oct. 20 with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader.
• Celtics @ Pistons: The East’s top two teams in the 2025-26 regular season
• 76ers @ Knicks: New York begins its title defense as LeBron James and Jaylen Brown make their… pic.twitter.com/Mv9kNrtusi
The Sixers’ second nationally televised opening-week game will come on Oct. 22. They’ll face the Cavaliers at 7 p.m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena for their home opener. ESPN will have the broadcast.
ESPN will begin its 2026-27 NBA regular-season game coverage with opening-week doubleheaders on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22.
• Oct. 21: Team debuts for Miami’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Minnesota’s LaMelo Ball
Of course, James is a native of Akron, Ohio and considered a return to Cleveland this offseason. Gansey served in the Cavs’ front office before shifting to Philadelphia.
Basketball is still more than two months away, but it’s time to start planning ahead.
The 2026-27 NBA opening night games, which will air on NBC and Peacock, were revealed on Tuesday as the league began to announce portions of its regular-season schedule.
As is tradition, the NBA has two prime-time matchups on the slate for opening night — including the defending champion raising a banner and three other title contenders taking the court. However, this year, there is an additional midday matchup to open the season.
Here’s a look at the three games for this year’s NBA Tip-Off:
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
The NBA season will begin a bit earlier than usual, with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons battling in a matinee matchup.
The teams were the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference standings last season, with the Pistons vaulting to the No. 1 seed and the Celtics coming in at No. 2.
Watch info: 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
Two Atlantic division foes will face off on the first day of the season, and this game has added stakes.
For Philadelphia, the city hopes this game will mark the beginning of their own title run. The Sixers were the most aggressive team over the offseason, trading away Paul George for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James. So, while this is a second-round rematch from last year’s playoffs, this game will look completely different than it did in May.
Watch info: 7 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
The most tightly-contested series of last season’s playoffs will be revisited on opening night.
The Spurs, fresh off a disappointing Finals loss to the Knicks, will begin their quest to defend the Western Conference title and get over the hump. San Antonio gave Victor Wembanyama some extra help over the offseason — notably Tobias Harris. But the 2026-27 campaign will hinge on internal improvement for young rising stars like Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
Oklahoma City will be out for revenge immediately, considering San Antonio took Game 7 on the Thunder’s home court and ended their repeat bid. Sam Presti had a busy offseason rebalancing the roster and shedding salary, cutting ties with key role players in Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, is aiming to be the fourth player in NBA history to win three straight MVPs (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird).
Basketball is still more than two months away, but it’s time to start planning ahead.
The 2026-27 NBA opening night games, which will air on NBC and Peacock, were revealed on Tuesday as the league began to announce portions of its regular-season schedule.
As is tradition, the NBA has two prime-time matchups on the slate for opening night — including the defending champion raising a banner and three other title contenders taking the court. However, this year, there is an additional midday matchup to open the season.
Here’s a look at the three games for this year’s NBA Tip-Off:
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
The NBA season will begin a bit earlier than usual, with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons battling in a matinee matchup.
The teams were the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference standings last season, with the Pistons vaulting to the No. 1 seed and the Celtics coming in at No. 2.
Watch info: 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
Two Atlantic division foes will face off on the first day of the season, and this game has added stakes.
For Philadelphia, the city hopes this game will mark the beginning of their own title run. The Sixers were the most aggressive team over the offseason, trading away Paul George for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James. So, while this is a second-round rematch from last year’s playoffs, this game will look completely different than it did in May.
Watch info: 7 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
The most tightly-contested series of last season’s playoffs will be revisited on opening night.
The Spurs, fresh off a disappointing Finals loss to the Knicks, will begin their quest to defend the Western Conference title and get over the hump. San Antonio gave Victor Wembanyama some extra help over the offseason — notably Tobias Harris. But the 2026-27 campaign will hinge on internal improvement for young rising stars like Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
Oklahoma City will be out for revenge immediately, considering San Antonio took Game 7 on the Thunder’s home court and ended their repeat bid. Sam Presti had a busy offseason rebalancing the roster and shedding salary, cutting ties with key role players in Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, is aiming to be the fourth player in NBA history to win three straight MVPs (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird).
