What changed
LeBron James’ Philadelphia 76ers beat the reigning champion New York Knicks 106-100 on NBA opening night.
James scored 14 points and added seven assists on his 76ers debut. Jaylen Brown, also making his debut after moving from Boston, scored 19 points with eight rebounds and six assists. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 28 points.
Why it matters
The Knicks began the night celebrating their first championship in 53 years, raising their third title banner at Madison Square Garden. They finished it chasing a Philadelphia team that took control in the third quarter and refused to give the champions a winning start.
James, 41, is entering a record-extending 24th NBA season with his fourth team. His own verdict was restrained: he said he could be better and was still finding his rhythm after only a little over two weeks with the new squad. That makes the result more useful than a ceremonial debut. Philadelphia already has a win against the defending champions, even while its biggest newcomer is still settling in.
The other opening-night results added their own warning against easy conclusions. Detroit beat Boston 121-113 after a 23-0 fourth-quarter run, despite Boston debutant Paul George scoring 38 points. Oklahoma City beat San Antonio 116-104, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 32 points. The Thunder had been eliminated by San Antonio in last season’s Western Conference finals.
These results set the tone, but they do not establish who will win the season or the playoffs.
Comments
No comments yet.