LeBron James (Credits: ESPN)
The Philadelphia 76ers crashed the party on opening night, rallying past the New York Knicks 106-100 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday — spoiling the reigning champions’ banner-raising celebration on the very night the Knicks lifted their first title banner since 1973.
New-Look Sixers Announce Themselves
LeBron James began his NBA-record 24th season in a Sixers uniform after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, finishing his Philadelphia debut with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Fellow newcomer Jaylen Brown, acquired from Boston in the offseason, added 19 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in his first game for the Sixers.
But the star of the night was Tyrese Maxey, who poured in 28 points to lead the comeback, while the new-look bench chipped in — Anfernee Simons drilled three 3-pointers and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added two more.
The 11-0 Run That Flipped The Night
The Sixers closed the third quarter with a decisive 11-0 run, capped by Brown’s second straight 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave Philadelphia an 83-76 lead heading into the fourth. From there, the Sixers’ defense clamped down and held off the champs.
For the Knicks, the celebration turned sour. Jalen Brunson, fresh off NBA Finals MVP honors, scored 21 points but shot a rough 6-for-19 from the field. Karl-Anthony Towns managed 19 points and 12 rebounds, but New York managed just 37% shooting overall and 33.3% from three.
What’s Next
Before tip-off, the Knicks received their championship rings and Brunson told the Garden crowd he hoped to “replicate” the summer’s joy. That will have to wait — Philadelphia, hunting its first title since 1983, just announced itself as the team to beat. The 76ers host Cleveland on Thursday, while the Knicks visit Boston on Friday.
Also Read: Pistons Stun Celtics With Historic 22-Point Comeback In NBA Season Opener
Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
