LeBron James Shines on 76ers Debut as Philadelphia Beat Knicks on NBA Opening Night

Posted : 21 October 2026

LeBron James began his latest NBA chapter with a victory as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New York Knicks 106-100 on the opening night of the new season. The 41-year-old, embarking on a record-extending 24th campaign after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers during the summer, recorded 14 points and seven assists in his first appearance for his fourth NBA franchise.

Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia's scoring with 28 points, while Jaylen Brown contributed 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Brown also made his debut for the 76ers following a high-profile move from the Boston Celtics in a trade involving Paul George.

The Knicks began the evening by celebrating their championship success, unveiling their third title banner at Madison Square Garden. The ceremony attracted several well-known supporters, including actors Ben Stiller and Spike Lee, as the franchise marked its first NBA championship in 53 years following last season's triumph over the San Antonio Spurs.

However, the celebrations did not translate into an opening-night victory. Philadelphia took control in the third quarter and maintained its advantage to secure an important road win against the defending champions.

Jalen Brunson paced New York with 21 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Reflecting on his first outing with Philadelphia, James acknowledged that he still had room to improve as he adapted to his new teammates. He nevertheless expressed satisfaction with the team's overall performance, particularly its defensive work.

Pistons Rally to Defeat Celtics

The Detroit Pistons also opened their campaign with a victory, recovering in the second half to beat the Boston Celtics 121-113 in the night's opening fixture.

Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren each scored 22 points for Detroit, while Duncan Robinson delivered a decisive contribution in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 of his 21 points during the final period. The Pistons sealed the result with a remarkable 23-0 scoring run.

Boston's Paul George led his side with 38 points but could not prevent Detroit from securing the win in a matchup between two of last season's leading regular-season teams.

Thunder Overcome Spurs in Western Conference Rematch

The Oklahoma City Thunder completed the opening night's action with a 116-104 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, led by reigning back-to-back NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points to help Oklahoma City begin its title defence on a positive note. Stephon Castle led San Antonio with 24 points, but the Spurs were unable to reproduce the performance that had helped them eliminate the Thunder in last season's Western Conference finals.

Victor Wembanyama endured a difficult shooting night, making just one of his 13 attempts from the field. However, the Spurs star contributed 12 points, 13 rebounds and six blocked shots, with much of his scoring coming from the free-throw line.

Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged the significance of facing the team that had ended Oklahoma City's previous playoff run, while also emphasising the excitement of returning to competitive basketball after the offseason.

The opening-night results offered an early glimpse of the challenges ahead, with Philadelphia making a statement against the defending champions and Detroit and Oklahoma City also starting their campaigns with victories.

LeBron James Shines on 76ers Debut as Philadelphia Beat Knicks on NBA Opening Night

Pistons Rally to Defeat Celtics

Thunder Overcome Spurs in Western Conference Rematch

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