- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Team logos and player headshots via ESPN.
The New York Knicks will raise their championship banner Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden before hosting the 76ers in the NBA season opener.
The Knicks, who return nine of their top 10 players in minutes played from last year's title run, will receive their rings in a ceremony marking the franchise's first championship defense in decades. Their opponent features a dramatically reshaped roster, with the 76ers adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown this offseason to join Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Knicks coach Mike Brown faces added narrative weight, as his first head coaching job came guiding James with the Cavaliers. James has said publicly he pictured ending his playing days with the Knicks had they not captured the championship, and he now lives part-time in New York City.
Knicks guard Josh Hart predicted the league would schedule New York against wherever James landed in the East. Hart said that matchup would benefit headlines and box office. He added that the 76ers will have "bumpy times in the beginning of the year because they gotta get used to playing with each other."
Brown noted the spectacle around the matchup, saying every game is the same in coach talk, but because of storylines and social media, it is a fun story right now. The teams meet twice in the opening six games, and all four season matchups will air on national television.
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).