The Knicks raise their championship banner at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, then open the 2026-27 NBA season against the 76ers. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. ET (01:00 CEST on Wednesday), on NBC and Peacock, according to the NBA. It is the middle game of the league's opening-night tripleheader, and the one with the most going on before the ball goes up.
The banner marks the Knicks' first title since 1973, won in June. The ceremony is expected to start around 6:30 p.m. ET, about 30 minutes before tip-off, according to ABC7 New York and NBC Sports. The Philadelphia Inquirer and PIX11 both report that the players receive their championship rings that night. Captain Jalen Brunson has called the occasion special, ABC7 reported.
LeBron James makes his first regular-season appearance as a 76er
LeBron James opens a record 24th NBA season in a 76ers uniform, the Associated Press reports. He made his preseason debut for Philadelphia on October 8 at Brooklyn, scoring 10 points in 18 minutes in a 114-108 loss, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported. Jaylen Brown also makes his Philadelphia debut, per the NBA. How James ended up here is in our media day report.
The AP reports that James and Brown start alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. They face a team that swept Philadelphia 4-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals in May, finishing with a 144-114 win in Game 4, according to NBA.com.
Embiid is not on the injury report
The NBA's official injury report, issued at 6:45 p.m. ET on Monday, lists no Knicks players. Philadelphia has six. Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles tear), Dominick Barlow (lower back stress reaction) and Tacko Fall (left quadriceps strain) are out. Anfernee Simons (left hamstring tightness), Adem Bona (left foot sprain) and Dean Wade (left ankle sprain) are questionable.
Embiid is not on the report, and coach Nick Nurse said he is ready to go, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Monday. His availability is the question we examined in our look at the 76ers with and without him.
Karl-Anthony Towns is not on the report either. His extension talks with the Knicks are paused until later in the season, so he begins the year on his current contract.
Each side has something to settle at the Garden
A win starts the title defense 1-0 against the team the Knicks swept in May. For Philadelphia, a win on ring night would be an early test of whether a roster rebuilt around James, Brown, Embiid and Maxey can hold up against the East's best.
James' first home game for the 76ers is on Thursday, October 22, against Cleveland, the AP reports. Every game of the opening week is in our NBA opening week schedule.
