Philadelphia 76ers beat New York Knicks 106-100 in season opener
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia past New York in an opening game at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. The visiting roster rallied late to secure a six-point victory against the defending champions. Maxey finished the evening with 28 points.
Jaylen Brown added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his debut following a trade from Boston. LeBron James began his record 24th league season with 14 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Joel Embiid recorded 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
The visiting bench provided critical perimeter scoring. Anfernee Simons made three 3-pointers. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit two 3-pointers as reserves found open looks.
Jalen Brunson scored 21 points for New York on 6-for-19 shooting. Karl-Anthony Towns totaled 19 points and 12 rebounds. The hosts shot 37 percent overall and 33.3 percent from 3-point range.
Prior to tipoff, the host team raised its championship banner and players received rings. Brunson addressed the crowd during the ceremony.
“The joy that this city had this summer, we would love to replicate that again,” Brunson told fans.
New York previously swept Philadelphia in the second round on the way to a title. Philadelphia responded by acquiring Brown and signing James from the Los Angeles Lakers. New York had defeated San Antonio in five games to claim its first title since 1973.
Tuesday featured a ragged first half with frequent fouls and missed shots. New York built a 10-point edge before leading 58-54 at halftime. Philadelphia answered late in the third quarter with an 11-0 run.
Brown capped that scoring run with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. His shot gave Philadelphia an 83-76 advantage. Maxey then converted a three-point play early in the fourth quarter.
Towns hit a 3-pointer to cut the margin to 96-95. Embiid responded with a 3-pointer of his own. Philadelphia protected the lead through the final minutes.
Madison Square Garden operates as a major sports and entertainment arena in Manhattan. Regular season schedules feature 82 games across multiple months before postseason play begins.
Philadelphia hosts Cleveland on Thursday night. New York travels to Boston on Friday night.
