The Philadelphia 76ers open the season against the defending NBA champion New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. It's one of the most anticipated season openers in more than 20 years, as the new-look Sixers enter with championship aspirations while the Knicks begin their title defense.
Who: Philadelphia 76ers (0-0) at New York Knicks (0-0)
When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, Peacock and select streaming services
The Sixers will look to exact some revenge in their season opener with a revamped lineup featuring LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.
Head coach Nick Nurse will be tested early, as the team could be without Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade, two significant offseason depth additions who are battling injuries and listed as questionable. The injury bug, which has affected the team throughout the last several years, has once again reared its ugly head. Adem Bona is also questionable, while Dominick Barlow and Tacko Fall have been ruled out.
Despite those injuries, the Sixers will look to put one of the most talented starting fives in the league on the floor against the defending champions.
Philadelphia traded Paul George for Jaylen Brown, a former NBA champion, Finals MVP, five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection. Brown averaged 28.7 points per game last season, just ahead of Tyrese Maxey, and gives the Sixers another lethal offensive option who can create space and generate scoring opportunities.
Brown alone would help Joel Embiid, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe find better opportunities, and his addition made the team exciting enough. Then came the big one.
LeBron James is a Sixer. As impossible as it once seemed, it's happening. Despite being 41 years old, James remains better than most of the league on any given night. Having one of the greatest players in NBA history has given the team and its fans another huge reason to be excited.
James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists last season with the Lakers, taking a step back to allow other talented, younger players to succeed. The hope for James and the Sixers is that his knowledge, talent and playmaking will help Philadelphia overcome the obstacles that have held it back for years.
The two major additions will help the development of players like second-year guard VJ Edgecombe and rookie Labaron Philon while taking pressure off stars Embiid and Maxey.
For Edgecombe and Philon, learning from one of the all-time greats while playing alongside a younger star in Brown provides a valuable opportunity. For Maxey and Embiid, it's a chance to be part of a more complete team and push toward their ultimate goal while experiencing what it's like to share the floor with James.
All of this adds to the excitement as the Sixers prepare to compete for a championship.
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The Knicks return the starting five that led them to an NBA championship last season. Jalen Brunson is the star and leader of a group that includes OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Loaded with key reserves like Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet and former Sixer Andre Drummond, the Knicks will look to pick up right where they left off last season. They'll celebrate their title Tuesday night before getting back to work against a Sixers team they swept in last season's playoffs.
Drummond will be tasked with helping replace Mitchell Robinson in the Knicks' frontcourt, and that won't be an easy assignment for the longtime NBA center. His athleticism isn't what it once was, but Drummond can still contribute points and, especially, rebounds. He just won't be playing 30 minutes per game. If Towns gets into foul trouble, the Knicks may have to adjust their approach with a smaller lineup.
What the Knicks did particularly well last season, and will look to continue this year, was play a complete game.
New York ranked seventh in scoring defense, allowing 113.3 points per game, while its offense ranked third in the league with 119.8 points per game. The Knicks also ranked third in three-point shooting at 37.3%.
They have plenty of weapons and size on the perimeter, allowing them to stifle opponents on one end of the court while lighting it up on the other.
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This is one of the most highly anticipated opening nights in recent Sixers history.
With the additions of James and Brown, along with depth pieces who should make Nick Nurse's job a bit easier, the Sixers finally have a roster that can truly compete for a title.
That doesn't mean it'll be a stroll to a championship, though. Nurse will have to find a way to manage his starters' minutes while incorporating the quality depth players Philadelphia brought in this offseason. It's a good problem to have, but one Nurse will have to navigate successfully.
Having all of their stars ready and available on opening night is huge for the Sixers, but James' presence takes them to another level.
While the team's movement and pace may vary, Philadelphia will run much of its offense through James, one of the smartest players and best passers the league has ever seen. His playmaking will allow Brown, Maxey, Edgecombe and Embiid to move without the ball and create scoring opportunities, while his vision will help get the ball to whichever star is in the best position to score.
There will be plenty of eyes on both teams Tuesday night as each enters the season with championship aspirations.
For the Knicks, continuing to play as they did last season, suffocating opponents defensively and shooting efficiently from the perimeter, will be key to beating the Sixers.
For Philadelphia, the team will have to take significant steps forward defensively, especially with Embiid's injury history and James approaching his 42nd birthday.
There should be plenty of highlights on both ends of the floor, with Brunson's ability to draw fouls presenting another challenge for the Sixers' defense.
But this is a new Sixers team with a clear goal and the talent to achieve it. The Knicks may be raising a championship banner Tuesday night, but Philadelphia has an opportunity to show just how different this matchup could be from last season's playoffs.
Sixers 127, Knicks 118
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