Oct 5, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) pulls down a rebound in front of Detroit Pistons forward Tolu Smith (35) in the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The preseason has come and gone right before our eyes, and the regular season is finally here. Several battles took place on the roster, and while some may be decided, nothing is set in stone this time of year.
But we do have a cut-and-dry 10-man rotation at this point. And the first preseason roster cut casualties went down with Haywood Highsmith, Kennedy Chandler, and Phillip Wheeler being waived. Then, Koby Brea and CJ Huntley joined shortly thereafter.
Jamaree Bouyea kept his spot on the roster, and the Suns elected to enter the season with 14 players on standard contracts. Drew Timme was signed after being cut by the Timberwolves.
The Phoenix Suns are keeping Jamaree Bouyea as the 14th player on the roster. They have officialy cut Haywood Highsmith.
So what about the group that actually plays? Well, it’s a shorter list. And preseason told us most of it.
Ryan Dunn emerged; Rasheer Fleming faltered. The center position is still to be determined, though we all know Jordan Ott has that answer… he is just reluctant to tip his hand.
10-Man Rotation
Below you will find the 10-man unit in two groups, along with who may be next in line, with a quick snippet on each guy. Dunn could be the odd man out if they cut it down to a 9-man rotation, depending on the matchups.
Starters
G: Jalen Green
G: Devin Booker
F: Dillon Brooks
F: Miles Bridges
C: Oso Ighodaro
Bench
G: Collin Gillespie
G: Luke Kennard
F: Jordan Goodwin
F: Ryan Dunn
C: Khaman Maluach
Next man up?
Jamaree Bouyea– If Phoenix needs another guard to step in, they trust him. He appeared in 46 games for the Suns last season, including one start.
Duop Reath – Foul trouble, foul trouble, foul trouble. Or an injury to either center. Duop Reath will be relied on at times this season. It’s better if he’s not, but it’s a long season.
Rasheer Fleming – Still a young, talented defender with massive 3-&-D upside, Fleming had a disappointing preseason and appears to have fallen out of the rotation.
Koa Peat – The rook will have to serve his time most likely, but don’t sleep on him. He has an NBA-ready body and will be ready to go if his number is called. If Ryan Dunn falters and Rasheer isn’t ready… enter Koa Peat.
Pat Spencer – Like Bouyea, if an injury occurs, Spencer could be someone they trust as a reserve to give them 10-15 minutes. Similar to all of their two-way guys, they have options if the injuries pile up.
Drew Timme – Depth signing. They’ll see what he’s got in the G League. Don’t expect to see him much, and if you do, it means things went bad.
Early in the second quarter with the Thunder up 37-28, Ajay Mitchell tossed a pass under the net toward Chet Holmgren. The big man was defended by De'Aaron Fox, who shoved him and flipped him so he landed on the court. A scuffle ensued under the net with Kenrich Williams and Jalen Williams rushing over to defend their Thunder teammate. Victor Wembanyama was caught up in the melee and got into a shoving match with Jaylin Williams.
Both teams were separated as the crowd booed. The referees reviewed the scuffle and Fox was given a Flagrant 1 foul for "an unnecessary act." Technical fouls were given to Wembanyama and the three Williams players.
Things start to get chippy between the Thunder and Spurs 👀
Even three hours before the New York Knicks season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, you could sense the excitement outside of Madison Square Garden. The sun had come out, and the bars across the street were filled with the sound of energetic conversations and laughter hours before the workday was over.
“Opening night’s always exciting for anybody and everybody,” said Knicks head coach Mike Brown before the game. “It's starting something new for everybody. It's fresh. Everybody's energized. You know, you feel the buzz. I don't care where you are, you feel the buzz. Here with our fans, I’ve said this many times before, but Knicks fans are different, and the buzz has been going on for a while. You felt it today.”
Obviously, Tuesday wasn’t just any opening night. The NBA champion New York Knicks were receiving their championship rings and having their banner hung from the rafters at the Garden. It was the main event on the NBA’s opening day, and the ticket to get in, which averaged around $2,000, was more than it cost to get into every other opening game combined. There was some fear that the exorbitant cost of entry would impact the vibes in the arena, similar to Game 3 of the NBA Finals, when the high prices and special guests seemed to price out the raucous Knicks fans.
That wasn’t the case on Tuesday, despite the Garden being filled with attendees like NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, singer Jon Bon Jovi, and fellow New York star athletes Cam Schlittler, Ben Rice, Michael Strahan, and many more.
From the moment fans started streaming into the arena, the energy was high. The walkways of Madison Square Garden were filled with Knicks fans wearing championship memorabilia and chanting “Knicks in 5.” As fans walked to their seats, they snapped photos of the championship graphic on the jumbotron or looked over the championship shirts that were on the back of every seat. Some fans hugged the ushers they’ve come to know over the years, enjoying a moment of shared joy. “We did it! We did it!” they smiled.
Unlike most Knicks home games, there was no edge to the crowd (that would come later after one hard foul by Joel Embiid). However, the pre-game atmosphere felt almost relaxed. The mountaintop had been reached. The monkey had been removed from the back. The fans weren’t anxious about the team earning something or achieving something; they were just here to celebrate what had already been completed.
Even though a basketball game was going to be played, the celebration of last season’s accomplishments would take center stage. Which is exactly the tightrope that Coach Brown knew he would have to walk in getting his team prepared for the night.
“It's tough because…this could be a once in a lifetime thing,” he said before the game. “You never know. It's hard. It's hard to accomplish something like this, and you definitely want guys to embrace it and celebrate it with each other because they went through a lot, with the fans, with the rest of the organization, with their families, so you don't want to take that moment away from them. But, in the same breath, we obviously have a job to do tonight. But I keep telling myself that no matter what happens tonight, if we win by five, if we win by 20, if we lose by five, if we lose by 20, there's a lot of basketball left. Whatever happens tonight is not going to define us, and so I would rather they enjoy the moment than me cut it short or carve into their emotions.”
There was certainly no carving into emotions once the ceremony began. It started with a video narrated by Ben Stiller that highlighted what the Knicks title meant to the team.
Then the jumbotron showed a video close-up of the Knicks’ championship rings, designed by Jason of Beverly Hills. The ring, which was crafted in white gold, has just under 800 diamonds and sapphires totaling 22 carats. The white and blue colors aren't the only reflection of the Knicks since the ring also features a built-in mechanism that raises a miniature version of Madison Square Garden, and the removable top of the ring reveals the distinctive ceiling architecture of the area. The words “WORLD CHAMPIONS” are set with 69 diamonds, to represent the Knicks’ 69 combined wins during their season, and the jersey number of every player on the team wraps around the ring. It’s an extravagant ring to match the flash and prestige of the city and team.
Courtesy of Jason of Beverly Hills
“Courtesy of Jason of Beverly Hills”
During the ring ceremony, each Knicks front office member, coach, and player had a chance to stand before the crowd and receive their ring to thunderous applause. When it was the player’s turn, Knicks legend Walt “Clyde” Frazier strode to the middle of the floor and had his moment shaking hands with, and presenting a ring to, each member of the Knicks’ title team (minus Mitchell Robinson, who was playing for the Celtics earlier today).
Brooklyn native Jose Alvarado received the first arena-shaking roar of the night, but there were plenty more to come, including when former Knick and current 76er Ariel Hukporti wheeled himself out with a knee walker after his recent Achilles surgery. Unsurprisingly, the biggest cheers came for the playoff heroes. Karl-Anthony Towns was the first starter to walk out, and the crowd would have risen to their feet, but they had already been standing for almost 20 minutes. Game 4 hero OG Anunoby was greeted by cheers and the entire stadium melding into chants of “OG! OG! OG”
By the time Jalen Brunson came out to receive his ring, the crowd was in a fervor. Chants of “MVP” meshed with chants of “[Expletive] Wemby,” as Knicks fans simply seemed happy to scream any kind of support for their team. When Brunson took the mic a few minutes later before the championship banner was raised and told the crowd the team wanted to “do it again this year,” the Mecca of Basketball exploded one more time.
The banner hung over the court for the entire game, watching as the Knicks failed to muster the same come-from-behind magic they had during the postseason and fell 106-100 to the 76ers. Yet, just as Mike Brown had expected, the loss didn't seem to deter the fans. As they filed peacefully out of the arena, a fanbase that would usually have been lambasting the poor shooting performances or the lazy third quarter defense was instead uttering things like "It's a long season," or "I forgot that October basketball doesn't matter as much."
Maybe it was self-preservation. Hopefully it wasn't complacency, but, more than likely, it was still the feeling of joy and appreciation for what this team was able to accomplish last season. In a few days, the banner that hung over the court on Tuesday will be moved to the open spot next to the 1970 and 1973 banners, which will be its final home. A few spaces to the right, the Knicks recently raised their banner commemorating the 2025 NBA Cup trophy.
“I think it's just a recognition of what our journey was like last year,” said Coach Brown. “There were a lot of ups and downs throughout the course of the year, and our guys rallied and figured out a way to win the NBA Cup, and then you go ahead and win the end-of-season final. It's just a recognition not just to our guys, but to the fans out there. We’ve got fantastic fans, and to be able to show a little love to them is pretty good.”
It was a pretty good recognition as part of a pretty good ceremony to honor a pretty great year. Yet, even as the team took it in, they had one eye on the next chapter.
“This is a new season,” said Coach Brown. “It's a new team, new challenges in front of us.”
Starting those challenges out with a loss is certainly not going to dampen the mood in New York on Tuesday. After all, this team has come back from far greater deficits.
The No. 6 pick and his Nets teammates are intimately familiar with the low expectations on this team, to be one of the league’s worst.
To them, it’s fuel.
Mikel Brown Jr. goes up for a shot during the Nets’ win over the Heat in their preseason finale. NBAE via Getty Images
“Yeah, absolutely,” Brown said. “But at the end of the day, man, we focus on ourselves right now, focusing on getting better. Like I said before, every game we have something to prove. So that’s the mentality going into it.
“I mean every game is something we have to prove. We don’t really look at the outside world when it comes to that stuff. We focus on ourselves and what we have going on within this organization and this team. We know what we’re capable of, so we got to go out every single night to show that.”
He had 18 points, three assists, three rebounds and two steals in 18 minutes against the Heat.
Jordi Fernández has suggested he wouldn’t consider starting a player that would be available for fewer than 24 minutes. He wouldn’t answer whether Brown’s minutes limit would be relaxed Wednesday against Charlotte.
Keon Ellis started every preseason game at off-guard, while Egor Dëmin moved over to point guard. Ellis has said consistency of role — regardless of as a starter or reserve — will help.
Mikel Brown Jr. defends Davion Mitchell during the Nets’ win over the Heat in their preseason finale. Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
“Oh, absolutely. Just because it comes down, it helps everything,” Ellis said. “When you’re going in the game, if you’re starting, if you’re coming off the bench — which to me that doesn’t really mean a lot — but the consistency of knowing where you’re going to play, who you’re going in the game with, the rhythm that you guys have, that all matters.”
His playing time will surely be even more curtailed than Brown’s.
“A player that hasn’t played a game yet would be, because once again, if you haven’t played a preseason game and then you put your body out there into a real NBA game, I don’t think it would be fair for him to play crazy amount of stints or minutes,” Fernández said. “So yeah, we always take care of our … I’m not going to tell you if he is or how many minutes are, but we always take care of their bodies.”
Michael Porter Jr. courted more podcast controversy by opting to interview right-wing social media personality SNEAKO, who has at points been banned from Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for being violent, homophobic, misogynist and antisemitic.
The pending free agent didn’t endorse SNEAKO’s positions and criticized him afterward.
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 20: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks receives his 2025-26 NBA Championship ring before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 20, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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
NYC came to party tonight. The Knicks (0-1) received their rings and hung a championship banner before tonight’s inaugural game of the 81st season. As a repeat is not guaranteed, your intrepid blogger tried to appreciate the moment for its rarity.
The visiting Philadelphia 76ers (1-0), with offseason additions LeBron James (14 PTS, 9 RBS, 7 AST) and Jaylen Brown (19 PTS, 8 RBS, 6 AST), came ready to rumble, determined to knock the kings from their throne. The champs, dressed in gold-lettered uniforms for the affair, played with a mix of efficiency and slop, taking and giving the lead throughout. Down the stretch, Karl-Anthony Towns (19 PTS, 12 RBS) drilled a few big shots, Captain Clutch (21 PTS, 6-19 FG) missed a couple, and the first game of the season ended with an L, 106-100.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 53 YEARS, THE KNICKS RAISE AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BANNER! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mNkMpJva6b
Tyrese Maxey (28 PTS) started the contest with six points, shooting well through the period. Both teams showed opening night jitters, though. New York missed four shots before Mikal Bridges (4 PTS, -15 +/-) put back his own miss, and Brunson got a fortunate bounce for his first trey of the season. Karl-Anthony Towns picked up two fast fouls, and Andre Drummond (12 PTS, 14 RBS, 2 BLK) relieved him.
So far, we were digging the Andre experience. He blocked an Embiid jumper, rebounded over and stuffed Embiid, and intercepted a VJ Edgecombe pass for a dunk. If you picked Dre to lead the team in first-quarter scoring, claim your no-prize at the door. Spoiler alert: he disappeared in the second half and finished 5-of-13 from the field.
James ran the point on a number of possessions and connected with Brown for a cutting layup they’ll run a couple hundred times this season. Landry Shamet took exception to James forcefully shoving him multiple times (no calls) and getting clubbed by Embiid on a drive. ShamWow stood chest-to-chest with the big Cameroonian, and tensions rose when the teams circled around their mates. Things cooled off. To wrap up the quarter, Jose Alvarado slashed to the cup for an athletic layup, Brunson subbed in to float a final shot, and the hometown heroes held a 25-23 lead at the break.
In the preseason, the Drummond-Alvarado two-man game caught our attention. Tonight, they powered the Knicks early in the Q2, helping to give the Knicks a 10-point lead and ignite an 11-2 run. Shamet added his first three-pointer of the season (after a number of misses), and Jordan Clarkson got on the board with a finger-roll.
Also not quite back to game form: the refs whistled 28 fouls in the first half, yet somehow missed contact on a few of Brunson’s drives. The most free throws attempted in a game by the Knicks last season was 38. They had already taken 16 by halftime, and Philly had 21. By the end of the game, the hosts had been whistled 23 times and the visitors, 22.
KAT puts his head down and goes to WORK 💪
Knicks still holding the lead at home as they begin their title defense on NBC and Peacock! pic.twitter.com/UWXDJnQpot
Embiid returned to steady his squad with a pull-up and a triple, plus a few dimes. OG egged his face when he blocked the big fella, but the Pennsylvanians gained momentum as Brunson missed a couple and KAT whiffed at the charity stripe. Fouls bedeviled them, too; Hart and Towns had collected three apiece. After a tight game, Brunson took a Maxey charge, then bucketed off the glass and made three freebies to preserve the intermission lead, 58-54.
With Brunson at the line, LeBron was on the blocks and got into a heated exchange with a fan in the second row. The crowd chanting “We don’t want you” must’ve gotten under his skin.
The Knicks shot worse from the field (42% to 46%), but sat on top due to their 27–19 rebounding advantage. They also outscored Philadelphia 30–20 in the paint, but missed seven freethrows. Through two, Maxey had 16 points, and Brunson had 15. Meanwhile, Drummond had already cooked a 10-point, 12-board double-double (plus two blocks) in 18 minutes. This debut was one to remember.
The third period stunk. Missing eight of their first nine shots, the Knicks’ sloppiness let the Chesesesteaks flirt with the lead before Hart swished a three. We could feel the tide turning, though. With Drummond off the floor, the guests had an easier time penetrating the paint. Anfernee Simons hit three from deep, while Brunson shot 1-of-5 and Bridges, Anunoby, McBride, and Drummond combined to go 0-for-10. With the Knicks throwing the ball away, Brown hit a buzzer-beater to cap an 11-0 run. Philly up 83-76.
Jaylen Brown Hits The Buzzer Beating Three To End The Quarter.
LeBron James Found Him And He Hit The Fadeaway.
The Former Celtic Knocks It Down From Deep As The Superstar Finds Him In Their First Game Together Against The Knicks At Madison Square Garden.
Grand Theft Alvarado didn’t sweat opening night. He poked the ball from Maxey and stepped into a fast-break three. With an OG trey (his first after seven misses), the Knicks rode a 10-5 run to scare Nurse into a timeout. Philly benefited from big shots by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but the unified unit of Towns, Alvarado, Shamet, Clarkson, and Hart kept the deficit at four with five minutes left and Brunson waiting to clock in.
After a Philly timeout, Brown fielded a backcourt of Brunson and Alvarado, teamed with Shamet, Hart, and Towns. The latter swished from the logo to make it 96-95, but Philly’s center countered with his own bomb.
Towns was ready to prove his value, though. He had 19 points and 10 came in the fourth. While Brunson bricked a few attempts, KAT stroked again from deep. A poorly timed Anunoby giveaway became a running Maxey dunk. New York found themselves trailing 104-98 with a minute left. A coach’s challenge overturned an out-of-bounds call and returned the ball to New York with 50 seconds left. Cap wasted little time running in a tricky layup, cutting it to four with 41 seconds to go. At the other end, Embiid airballed from beyond the arc. The ball reached Brunson, who missed a heavily contested triple on the run; no foul was called, and James corralled the defensive board. Ballgame.
Up Next
Mo has a proper recap in the oven. The Knicks return to the court on Friday in Boston. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 21 points (6-for-19 shooting), five rebounds, and three assists, but was a minus-11 in 34 minutes as he and the rest of the defending champs were stifled on the night they got their rings by some very good Philadelphia defense, including from the new Sixers stars of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James.
New York has returned nearly all of their championship core and got a big contribution from the lone key offseason acquisition to Mike Brown’s rotation, but lacked the championship sharpness that was a hallmark of their drought-breaking run to a title.
After seeing a 10-point lead slip in the third, if the switch was going to flip in the fourth quarter, it was going to have to come after OG Anunoby bounced in a corner three. Jose Alvarado poked the ball away from Tyrese Maxey for his second steal of the night and hustled down the court to knock in his second three and force a Sixers timeout with eight minutes to play and the lead down to two.
The deficit was four when Brunson checked back in with just over five to play in the game. Soon after, Brunson found Karl-Anthony Towns for a deep three and had a chance for the lead the next possession, but a contested fadeaway was off, and Joel Embiid answered with a three. Back down by five, Brunson and Towns again combined for a from deep, but Philly again answered with a pair of dunks, and Brown called for time with two minutes left and the deficit at six.
The Knicks cut the game to four and got a stop, but a Brunson three with 10 seconds to play was way off, and that was all the Knicks had left.
Here are the takeaways...
- Towns blocked a noticeably slimmer Embiid early, but threw the ball away as Maxey capitalized for his second three in the game’s early going. Towns would pick his first foul inside three minutes and 18 seconds later got his second with an offensive foul as he extended his leg on his jumper and tripped Maxey to send him to the bench.
Andre Drummond, who spent the last two years in Philly, entered for his first action as the Mitchell Robinson replacement. And the veteran took full advantage of the opportunity with six points and six rebounds (three offensive), adding an assist, a steal, and a block in nine minutes in the opening quarter. He made it a double-double debut inside his first 12 minutes on the floor as KAT continued to sit and was a huge bright spot.
Towns made a three-minute cameo in the second, scoring five points before he picked up his third and returned to the bench. He was a minus-3 in six first-half minutes.
Towns, who turned it around in the second half, finished with 19 points (6-for-9 shooting), 12 rebounds (three offensive), two blocks, and was even in 23 minutes. Drummond finished with 12 points (5-for-13) with 14 rebounds (seven offensive) and four assists, two blocks, and a steal, but was a minus-6 in 24 minutes.
- Starters started slowly. Josh Hart, who had a great year shooting the three last years despite his finger trouble, missed his first two from the outside and Anunoby missed his first five from deep as New York opened the game 2-for-10 from three, but were down by just one late in the first. Brunson's late floater gave the Knicks a 25-23 lead after 12 minutes, as he had just five points in the opening stanza. The defending champs shot just 37 percent (10-for-27) from the floor in the quarter.
The Knicks starter did not start the third crisply, going 1-for-7 from the floor and committing three turnovers, as Brown used a pair of timeouts in four minutes as the lead was cut to one. After two more Knicks misses, the Sixers had a lead, since late in the first quarter, before a Hart three, to give him 10 on the night, stopped the bleeding.
But New York shot 23.8 percent (5-for-21) and allowed the Sixers to close the quarter on an 11-0 run to grab a seven-point lead entering the fourth, which was made possible by a fifth turnover of the period.
Hart added 14 points (5-for-10 shooting) with seven rebounds and three assists and was a plus-1 in 30 minutes. It was not Anunoby's night: 10 points (3-for-12, 1-for-9 from deep) with five rebounds and was a team-worst minus-20 in 32 minutes.
- Brunson had a relatively quiet half until he had a Brunsonian spurt late in the second with two at the line, taking a charge, hitting a floater, and then adding three more at the line. At the half, Brunson led the Knicks with 15 points (4-for-9 shooting) with two rebounds and two turnovers and was a minus-1 in 17 minutes, but the Knicks' lead was down to four.
- The Knicks’ second unit really started to twist the screws on the visitors as players off the bench, led by Drummond, had 23 of the Knicks’ first 38 points as New York built a 10-point lead four minutes into the second.
The bench contributed just nine more points the rest of the game, with Alvarado adding eight, Landry Shamet five, Jordan Clarkson four, and Miles McBride three. The reserves were a combined 13-for-36 (36.1 percent) from the floor on the night, weighed down by going 3-for-13 (23.1 percent) after the half.
Game MVP: Jaylen Brown
On his Sixers' debut, the former Finals MVP had 19 points (7-for-14) with eight rebounds, six assists, and was a plus-17 in 35 minutes, including 10 points and five assists in Philly's big third quarter.
Highlights
Jalen Brunson's first points of the year 🤝 https://t.co/sTXkvvV0a4
The New York Knicks picked up their NBA championship rings, but the Philadelphia 76ers left Madison Square Garden with a 106-100 victory Tuesday in the teams' season opener.
Tyrese Maxey had a game-high 28 points for the 76ers, whose overhauled roster was clicking well from the outset of the marquee matchup in New York.
In their Philadelphia debuts, LeBron James had 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Jaylen Brown added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. With a strong second-half push, the 76ers earned the victory despite a mediocre shooting night (41.9% from the field, 27.5% on 3-pointers).
"Personally, I feel a lot better, still getting my rhythm," James told NBC Sports' Zora Stephenson about beginning his 24th season with his fourth team. " Obviously, just a little bit over two weeks with the new squad. But I like the way we played. I think we played exceptionally well, especially defensively. Didn't shoot the ball well, but we have capable shooters. We know that. So, we're waiting for it to start the season."
After trailing the Knicks since early in the first quarter, the 76ers closed the third quarter on an 11-0 run that was capped by a Maxey 3-pointer as the horn sounded.
"It's about winning, just trying to make plays to win," James said. "I'm very familiar with every scenario that this game has offered. Blessed to be able to play still at this level, and blessed to be able to play in this building, too. This building is so special, so it's fun."
Jalen Brunson led New York with 21 points but made 6 of 19 field goals as the Knicks struggled to shoot 37.2 %.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 19 points for New York but played only 24 minutes while stuck in foul trouble for the first half. Backup center Andre Drummond filled in admirably, adding 12 points and 14 rebounds in 24 minutes.
After rallying from double digits four times in June to win their first NBA championship in 53 years, New Yorks never trailed by more than nine points against Philadelphia.
But despite twice cutting the 76ers' lead to one in the final 3 minutes, the Knicks still couldn't muster last year's Madison Square Garden magic that they celebrated with a 30-minute pregame ceremony. The Knicks donned gold-trimmed uniforms (and gold sneakers in the case of Brunson) to receive their championship rings and host the 2025-26 title banner to the rafters.
That might have been some extra motivation for a 76ers team that has aspirations of its first championship since 1983.
"Yeah, I do," James said when asked by Stephenson if he liked winning on another team's Ring Night. "It's pretty stuff."
The Knicks found themselves trailing in the fourth quarter. Just like before those heroic playoff moments — those moments they celebrated in a stirring ceremony.
Except this time, as the defending champs Tuesday, Captain Clutch struggled when it mattered most, OG Anunoby committed a costly turnover, Mikal Bridges totally disappeared and the Knicks became the rare team to lose on their own ring night, 106-100 to the revamped 76ers.
Brunson shot 1-for-5 in the final five minutes, including a botched open runner on his first possession after being subbed in for the homestretch. The point guard — who missed 13 of his 19 attempts — airballed a trey with 10 seconds remaining that sealed New York’s defeat.
It capped a game in which the Knicks shot 42 percent from the floor and 27 percent on 3s. They committed 15 turnovers.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket as Philadelphia 76ers Anfernee Simons defends in the third quarter of a game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“What an ugly game,” coach Mike Brown said. “All throughout the game, we looked like we were running in mud.”
The 2026 NBA champion New York Knicks watch as they hoist the championship banner into the rafters before the start of the first quarter of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Carlos Toro for NY Post
Karl-Anthony Towns, who struggled for much of the evening, came alive in the fourth quarter and finished with 19 points and 12 boards. His trey cut the deficit to two with 2:15 remaining, but Philly’s VJ Edgecombe responded with an easy bucket against a lax Knicks defense.
Then New York’s wings — Anunoby and Bridges — flubbed their opportunities.
Anunoby threw an errant pass to Tyrese Maxey, who converted a breakaway for his final bucket of a 28-point gem. With about 90 seconds left, Bridges went up softly for a layup and missed with his left hand. He had just four points in 33 minutes.
The Knicks became the first home team to fall on ring night since the 2020 Lakers, who were playing in an empty arena because of the pandemic. Before Tuesday, the NBA’s defending champs were 64-15 in their home openers.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts on the floor in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
So the Knicks lost against history — and Josh Hart, who dropped 14 points with seven boards in 30 minutes, said the team isn’t panicked but also can’t relax.
“We play basketball for a living. If you can’t get up and get excited to play basketball, no matter who the hell we play, you got to do some soul-searching,” Hart said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re defending champs, it doesn’t matter if we have the worst record in the league last year. No matter what we got to make sure we are professionals and do what our job is and at the end of the day, I don’t think anybody picked us to win the championship again.
“So nothing to it. We shouldn’t sit there and think we’re the champions because we’re not. We’re 0-1. We’re the worst team in the NBA right now. So we need to play like it.”
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) teases Philadelphia 76ers player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope after scoring in the fourth quarter during a game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostPhiladelphia 76ers LeBron James looks for an opening as New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) defends in the first half. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
At the start of Tuesday’s game, and after the banner was elevated, the Knicks played like they skipped a beat. A couple of beats, actually.
Their offense was disjointed and stagnant in the opening minutes, lowlighted by immediate foul trouble from Towns. Maybe it was the emotions spilling over from the ceremony just minutes prior, or maybe it was rust after four months away.
Despite their struggles, the Knicks were within striking distance as the final buzzer neared. That’s usually the time for the Brunson takeover. He couldn’t come through on ring night, though. Neither did his teammates.
Brown was almost happy they lost after an effort like that.
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) reacts to a call in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostNew York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts on the baseline in the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Is he capable of making those shots? Yes,” Brown said. “But if we played the right way, then it wouldn’t come down to that. But we put ourselves in a hole not doing the little things. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. And we have to watch the film and regroup and see how we can put a stretch of 48 minutes together.
“I want to win. Don’t get me wrong. Don’t get it twisted. I want to friggin’ win. But not at the expense of us skipping steps. So if he hits those shots down the stretch and we win, as a coach, there’s going to be something inside of me that wouldn’t be happy. Because it’s like you’re playing with fire, and you ended up winning that time without any water.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 20: LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the third quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on October 20, 2026 in New York City. 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. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK — The defense comes through in the end, just like we all expected.
The Sixers opened the 2026-27 season with a nail-biting 106-100 victory over the defending champion New York Knicks Tuesday night.
Tyrese Maxey had a great night leading the Sixers with 28 points, shooting 9-of-19 from the floor with five assists and three steals. Jaylen Brown seemed to get more comfortable as the game went on, finishing with 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists and one big block on Jalen Brunson to end the game..
LeBron James, also making his Sixers debut, had 14 shooting 5-of-13 along with nine rebounds and seven assists. Joel Embiid struggled offensively in the second half but made some big plays defensively, finishing with 13 points on 15 shots with 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocks.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
The first possession of the season saw an Embiid post-up get swung around to Maxey for a three on the opposite side of the floor. Hopefully there will be a lot of that this season. Embiid was stripped by Towns shortly after, but Maxey stole the loose ball back and buried another three for a quick 6-0 start. New York missed their first four shots of the game before a putback from Bridges and a Brunson three trickled in. The Sixers were also able to send KAT to the bench with two fouls, quickly bringing Andre Drummond into the game. Drum finally got Embiid back, blocking one of his old teammate’s pull-up jumpers.
The first bucket for the new guys was Brown cutting to the basket, with LeBron hitting him with a nice bounce pass for the layup. Shortly after, Brown blocked an OG Anunoby three, though it a took a challenge to overturn it from a foul call.
The initial stagger ended being different than the preseason. The first two Sixers subs of the night were Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope checking in for Maxey and Brown. The Sixers were generating open threes, but the first two Maxey hit to start the game remained their only shots from deep that had fallen. Drummond continued to put in a solid shift against Embiid as a couple offensive rebounds helped the Knicks offense get going. Embiid continued to make enemies in this building as Landry Shamet started jawing at him in between plays.
Simons hit a couple pull-up jumpers as the Sixers’ offense fell into a rut, something that could become a theme, especially from behind the arc. Brown missed a pull-up, turned the ball over, and split a pair of free throws across a three-possession stretch. A layup from Brunson put the Knicks up by two to close the first.
Second Quarter
LeBron had a layup just rim out, and Adem Bona slightly mistimed the jump for the putback. As Drummond pulled down his fourth offensive rebound of the game, Nick Nurse opted to go with Jabari Walker at the five. Walker made a nice find to Maxey, but defensively the unit was struggling to get stops.
Drummond was playing so well the arena had begun to randomly chant his name. That being said, he got away with one of the most egregious goaltends that left both Maxey and Walker stunned at the no-call. It’s fitting that the two guys lighting up the NBA world on opening day were Drummond and Paul George.
The return of Embiid to court helped them stop an 11-2 Knicks run. He and Maxey each hit a midrange before he hit a three from the top of the key. Towns returned to the game as well and punished the Sixers’ defense off the dribble. It didn’t help that the Sixers still struggled to buy a three on their end. They swung to a wide open KCP who had the ball go all the way down and rim out.
Easily the best thing to come out of the first half was how Embiid was moving. He was able to get back and swallow up multiple shots and passes at the rim. He checked out with two minutes in the half a +4, giving us our first look at small-ball five LeBron minutes. James got tied up by Miles McBride for a jump ball, but won it and knocked down a midrange jumper. Offensively they made some good reads to find open layups, a lot came as a result of picking on Brunson.
On the other end though, they couldn’t keep Brunson off the foul line, including a defensive three second violation with 11 seconds left in the half. The Sixers were at least able to get a stop on the ensuing possession, keeping themselves to within four at the break.
Third Quarter
LeBron with a steal and fired it up the court to Maxey for the fast break layup. He made a good read from the middle of the paint to find Maxey open in the corner for three, but the Sixers continued to miss those good looks. Brown was finally able to get downhill and behind the defense for a dunk, but Josh Hart drilled a three coming out of a timeout before Maxey and VJ Edgecombe both missed another open corner triple.
Nick Nurse switched LeBron onto KAT to start the second half and that did junk up the Knicks’ offense to start the third. With Embiid roaming the Knicks found themselves taking shots not far from the rim, but with multiple defenders contesting it hard. The Sixers used that time to get out in transition and go on a 6-0 run to briefly retake the lead, but a Josh Hart three took it right back.
Simons drilled his first three of the night and the team’s first of the second half, making the team just 4-of-21 from beyond the arc on the night. The offense got stuck in its tracks again, but just before he got doubled, Brown was able to find Simons again, who drilled another one with the hand in his face.
Maxey, who was easily the best Sixer on the floor all night, made a spectacular finish to pull the Sixers within two. The Sixers continued to actually make three-pointers, which allowed them retake the lead once again. Simons drilled another one and Brown got left so alone in the corner he took his sweet time to sink one. After both teams had ugly possessions, the Sixers got one last chance with 1.5 seconds left. Brown got open again and buried the three at the buzzer off a great LeBron pass.
JAYLEN BROWN IS A SIXER! Sinks the three as time expires in Q3 and Philadelphia leads by 7! pic.twitter.com/uMmHgdMsfC
Embiid and LeBron returned to the game to start the fourth, but LeBron quickly picked up his fourth foul of the night, inviting more caution for him. Maxey was rewarded for his downhill aggression, drawing fouls on two straight possessions including an and-1 floater over Anunoby. The Knicks contested a LeBron shot pretty well and turned Maxey over, leading to a pair of threes to cut the lead to two and force a Sixers timeout.
Maxey got to the line again out of the timeout and KCP hit a pair of threes to stop the bleeding. Bona was having a rough night. He made some nice stands during this stretch but the team wasn’t able to close those possessions with rebounds and the Knicks again made them pay with second-chance points.
Embiid made some big blocks, but had been scoreless for much of the second half. The Sixers were teetering after coming up empty on their previous possession despite two offensive rebounds of their own. As the ball was swung around, Embiid was left open on the three-point line and drilled it, extending the lead to four and prompting a timeout from Mike Brown. Brunson got a good shot over Edgecombe coming out of the timeout but it rimmed out. Embiid made a nice high-low pass to Edgecombe who drew a foul coming back down the floor, but he was only able to split the pair.
KAT drilled a high arching three with a hand in his face to cut it right back down to two. The Sixers once again leveraged the double on Maxey, dropping it to Embiid, then Edgecombe on the block who this time finished the layup. Maxey picked off the following Knicks pass to push it back up to six with just under two minutes remaining.
Tyrese Maxey with a HUGE steal and score to extend the Sixers' lead to 6 with under two minutes to play! pic.twitter.com/5ze0hXq2Fo
Bridges got open for a layup coming out of the timeout but LeBron was able to get all the way over to get a hand on it. Once again Maxey’s attention got a Sixer open under the basket, but LeBron somehow wedgied the layup. The Sixers won the jump ball, but Brown turned it over with 49 seconds left.
Brunson was able to beat Maxey off the drive, prompting another timeout from Nurse with 41 seconds to go. The Sixers ran a really uninspired possession that led to a horrible Embiid three, but they were able to force a miss on the other end thanks to Brown blocking Brunson’s three. LeBron got the rebound and was fouled with 7 seconds left, finally putting this one away.
Now, he will miss the rest of the 2026-2027 season.
After the Kings finished wrapping up practice on Tuesday, Simmons’ teammate told the media that it was “probably the worst thing I’ve seen on the basketball court.”
Keegan Murray said Ben Simmons injury was “probably the worst thing I’ve seen on the basketball court.”
“When he did it, obviously there was a different feel in the gym…. It was a tough situation, and for me, I got to be able to step up for what he was going to bring us.” pic.twitter.com/a0zeZhcV9j
Sacramento Kings’ forward Keegan Murray dunking during an NBA game against the Golden State Warriors. Getty Images
“Sunday when he did it, there was obviously a different feel in the gym and it was a tough situation,” Murray said. “For me, I got to be able to step up for what he was going to bring us.”
Murray added that he is hoping Simmons comes back next year, “in a great way.”
Sacramento Kings guard Ben Simmons to miss the rest of the season due to a torn Achilles injury. NBAE via Getty Images
Simmons’ NBA journey has not been easy.
In 2016, the Philadelphia 76ers selected him with the No.1 overall pick of the draft but he did not play in a single game due to him injuring his foot during the middle of NBA training camp.
Midway through the year, Philadelphia announced he would miss the rest of the season after it was revealed he had broken his right foot.
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Ben Simmons passing the ball past San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. AP Photo/Eric Gay
Simmons appeared in only two games during the preseason but was impressive, including last Friday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, when he scored 14 points, with eight rebounds, seven assists, and one steal.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 13: Brandon Williams #12 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 13, 2026 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Unsurprisingly, guard Brandon Williams has made the Golden State Warriors roster. While he was one of just 15 players with a contract on the team heading into the preseason, Williams’ contract included no guarantees. So if another training camp invitee or preseason acquisition forced their way onto the roster, Williams would have been the presumed odd-man out. Instead, Williams’ contract is now partially guaranteed for roughly $1.4 million of the roughly $2.6 million salary he would receive if he remains with the team for the entire season.
Once he plays in an official game with the Warriors, Williams will have appeared in five NBA seasons, debuting with the Portland Trail Blazers back in 2021-22. While he was primarily a G-League player for most of his career, receiving occasional cups of coffee in the NBA, Williams had his biggest opportunity last season wit the Dallas Mavericks. In 66 games, Williams averaged 13.0 points and 3.9 assists in 22.2 minutes per game.
While Williams’ inconsistent outside shot has limited his upside, he is one of the most dynamic on-ball creators on the Warriors roster and is expected to lead a significant portion of second-unit offense. Even if he ends up failing to find a role in Golden State though, he’s at least now guaranteed $1.4 million this year regardless of what happens going forward.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors poses with Yaxel Lendeborg #1 during media day at Chase Center on September 28, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors have not been subtle in their preseason praise of rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. The 14th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has made a strong first impression with fans, coaches, and his teammates. With expectations low, especially with Kristaps Porzingis out indefinitely, Lendeborg is seemingly the only acquisition that has the fanbase excited. Dubs star Draymond Green is not doing anything to hold back the pressure either. On the latest edition of The Draymond Green Show, Green chatted with guest Taylor Rooks about Lendeborg and gave some effusive praise.
“The Golden State Warriors has found the next face of the franchise,” Green said.
Green went on to add that Lendeborg is his pick to win Rookie of the Year this season, a particularly bold claim given most experts agree this is one of the strongest rookie classes in recent league history.
It’s worth noting that Green has always hyped up young players. He talked about Jacob Evans as a 16-game player that would be impactful in a playoff rotation. He publicly praised James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga during their tumultuous tenures. Many fans will rightly point out that Green also made positive statements about Jordan Poole before and after he punched Poole during a practice. So… it’s worth taking with a grain of salt.
However, this is far from a one-off statement. Green, Steph Curry, Steve Kerr, and almost every prominent member of the organization has been united in sharing significant excitement about Lendeborg’s potential to make an impact immediately. He’s backed it up on the court as well during the Summer League and preseason. He’ll officially begin his NBA career tomorrow when the Warriors tip off their season against the Lakers.
After two tanking seasons, almost 120 losses and one hand tied behind his back by his own organization, Jordi Fernández will finally get to do his job.
For the first time he’ll be coaching a non-tanking team, one with at least a chance to win every night, starting with Wednesday’s opener against Charlotte.
Yes, that means for the first time since coming to Brooklyn in April 2024, there will be expectations on Fernández and urgency around his Nets. But that has him more excited than anxious.
“Yeah, more [excited]. I think anxiety is usually negative. It’s a good sense of urgency. It’s positive. It’s excited about something,” Fernández said. “We cannot think that all this feeling is going to take us to do something wrong. It’s just control what you can control, the excitement.
“Probably the first stint of each player, they’re going to be gassed in the first few minutes. It’s because it’s normal, it happens every year. So everything we’ve worked on here behind closed doors, now we can display it in front of our crowd, and show them how hard we’re willing to play for them, for the community. So, it’s exciting.”
Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez speaks with members of the media during practice at HSS Training Center on Sept. 29, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Fernández’s excitement at finally having a chance to do his job — unencumbered by lottery positioning, the greater good or any such concerns — was clear to his players.
“Jordi’s really excited. He feels like going into every game, we’ve got a chance to win every single game,” Julius Randle said earlier. “We’re coming in trying to win. It’s as simple as that.”
Likely no Nets are feeling that more than the ones who had to suffer through the past two tanking seasons in Brooklyn.
Once the Nets committed to a rebuild, they slogged through a 26-56 campaign followed by last season’s 20-62 mark. In an upside-down bizarro world, victories were greeted with fury by fans and losses were celebrated for lottery positioning.
But unlike Charlotte’s lengthy tank — they’re riding a stretch of 10 straight seasons in the lottery — Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks always planned a short two-year tank.
Julius Randle shoots a jumper during the first half of the Nets’ preseason win over the 76ers on Oct. 8, 2026 at Barclays Center. Heather Khalifa for NY Post
That stretch is mercifully over.
How well it served its purpose remains to be seen.
The Nets will surely lose their fair share of games, but they’ll at least be vertically aligned in trying to win.
That in itself has created a different vibe in the locker room.
Noah Clowney runs down the floor during the first half of the Nets’ preseason win over the 76ers at Barclays Center. Heather Khalifa for NY Post
“Everybody’s excited about it. With that being said, there’s no benefit from losing: nothing,” Noah Clowney said. “Playing games, we think we’re going to go in every game with the idea of winning it, put our best foot forward. And I think that excites a lot of people. So yeah, I would say it’s a lot more excitement in the building.”
Keon Ellis — a summer free agent signee — may be one of the newest Nets, but he has known Fernández the longest.
The veteran guard played in Sacramento from 2022-24, when Fernández was the Kings’ associate head coach. And while Ellis said Fernández isn’t the most outwardly emotive, he can sense the latter’s excitement.
“It’s tough to tell with Jordi because he’s not like an expressive guy, but yeah. So I know he’s excited, just because that’s what we’re here for, long summer. So, just happy to get back to it,” Ellis said. “I know everyone’s excited.”
Between owing a pick swap to Houston and the NBA’s recent lottery reforms, the Nets have no reason to tank this season.
That’s why Marks went out and traded for a floor-raiser in Randle.
“Sean brought me here because of that, because it was time to win. So, that’s just what it is. I’m not here to lose. I don’t think anybody’s here to lose this year,” Randle told The Post, the “this year” caveat hanging in the air.
“We definitely want to be a team that goes out there and competes every single night. We’re playing to win. That’s as simple as I can put it.”
Lakers guard Collin Sexton is listed as questionable, ahead of their season opener against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. NBAE via Getty Images
Along with Sexton potentially being out, Cameron Carr (right oblique strain) and Adou Thiero (left knee contusion) are listed as out.
Sexton has been sidelined through all of training camp due to what the Lakers were calling a lower-leg injury, causing him to miss all five preseason games.
On Monday, Sexton appeared in his first full Lakers practice and told Melissa Rohlin of The California Post he’s been “taking it day by day.”
Sexton added that he felt he had a “really good practice” and was “super excited to be back out there with the guys.”
Collin Sexton playing in an NBA game as a member of the Chicago Bulls during the 2025-2026 NBA season. Jason Szenes / New York Post
After spending the last eight years of his career playing for the Cavaliers, Jazz, Hornets and Bulls, Sexton signed with the Lakers over the offseason on a two-year, $19 million deal to play on the team’s second-scoring unit.
The former No. 8 overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft has averaged 18.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.
Los Angeles Lakers’ guard Collin Sexton listed as questionable ahead of their season opener against the Warriors on Wednesday night. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the third quarter in Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 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. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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It’s Game Day, Pounders! The last time the Spurs saw the the Thunder it was in the rearview mirror on their way to the Finals, as Devin Vassell ended their postseason with one final, borderline disrespectful dunk.
Tonight, the Thunder will get their first crack at the San Antonio since that exclamation point back in May, and the Silver and Black get the chance to start their season with a warning shot for the rest of the NBA.
Since then, the Spurs have overhauled their big man rotation, drafting three big men (though Jayden Quaintance is still rehabbing his pre-draft injury) and knicking Tobias Harris away from the Detroit Pistons.
The Thunder did some drafting of their own, but lost some depth in the off-season, saying goodbye to Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and the universally loathed (in San Antonio, at least) Lu Dort.
Whose off-season additions will pay off more? Who will come into the game with more of a chip on their shoulders, and with more frustrations to unleash?
I don’t know, but between the rust of a season opener and the still-smouldering fire of their postseason series, I expect the game will go down to the wire once again.
Game Prediction:
Devin Vassell gets to lay down another disrespectful dunk in this one! Go, Spurs, Go!
San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder October 20, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
