76ers vs. Knicks: Sixers spoil New York's ring night 106-100 as LeBron and Jaylen Brown debut

The New York Knicks spent the first part of Tuesday night celebrating a championship. The Philadelphia 76ers spent the rest of it making sure the party didn’t carry over to the scoreboard. Philadelphia beat the defending champions 106-100 at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 20, the second game of the NBA’s opening-night tripleheader on NBC and Peacock, and “76ers vs knicks” became the most-searched trend in the US overnight, with more than 2 million searches according to Google Trends.

The interest was about more than one result. Fans were also searching for “NBA scores,” “NBA games today” and “NBA standings” as the 2026-27 season got underway, and for the two new faces in Philadelphia: LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.

76ers vs. Knicks: final score and key player stats

Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 28 points, opening the season with back-to-back three-pointers and driving the late push. According to NBA.com’s recap, the Sixers’ new core “took control late” after New York led for much of the first half.

• Tyrese Maxey: 28 points
• Jaylen Brown: 19 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists in his Philadelphia debut
• LeBron James: 14 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists (NBA.com), plus a steal and a block
• Joel Embiid: 13 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals
• Jalen Brunson (NYK): 21 points on 6-of-19 shooting
• Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK): 19 points, 12 rebounds, three 3-pointers

One small discrepancy is worth flagging: NBA.com’s recap credits James with seven assists, while the Associated Press game story we reviewed listed six. The official box score is the place to settle it.

Attendance at the Garden was 19,812, according to the official game book.

How the Sixers turned it around

New York led 25-23 after one quarter and 58-54 at halftime, powered by Brunson’s 15 first-half points and a big half from Andre Drummond, a former Sixer, who had 10 points and 12 rebounds by the break. NBA.com noted the Knicks held a 25-8 edge in bench points at that stage.

The third quarter swung the game. Philadelphia opened the half with eight straight fast-break points, and after the Knicks answered with a 13-0 burst of their own, Brown hit back-to-back threes to cap an 11-0 run. The Sixers won the quarter 29-18 and carried an 83-76 lead into the fourth.

New York stayed close. Jose Alvarado’s energy off the bench and a late Towns three from about 28 feet kept the Garden loud, and the Sixers led only 104-98 with under two minutes left. But Brunson, guarded by Brown and rookie VJ Edgecombe in stretches, never found a rhythm, and Philadelphia closed it out.

“I like the way we played. I think we played exceptionally well, especially defensively,” James said, per NBA.com. “Good win to start the season.”

Ring night at Madison Square Garden

Before tip-off, the Knicks raised a championship banner for the first time in 53 years, honoring their 2025-26 title team. Brunson called it “unbelievable” and “really a dream come true,” according to NBA.com’s live coverage. The AP game story noted the Knicks had swept the 76ers last season, which added an edge to the rematch.

LeBron’s record 24th season

The game also marked the start of James’ NBA-record 24th season and his first as a 76er. NBA.com reported that he begins the year 27 wins behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time record for regular-season wins, and that Tuesday’s victory improved his career record at Madison Square Garden to 25-10.

NBA scores and standings after opening night

Opening night featured three games, and the road and home results split this way:

• Pistons 121, Celtics 113 (Detroit rallied from 22 down)
• 76ers 106, Knicks 100
• Thunder 116, Spurs 104

That leaves Detroit, Philadelphia and Oklahoma City at 1-0 and Boston, New York and San Antonio at 0-1. With most of the league yet to play, the standings will change quickly this week.

FAQ

Who won 76ers vs. Knicks? Philadelphia won 106-100 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Who led the 76ers in scoring? Tyrese Maxey, with 28 points.

How did LeBron James do in his Sixers debut? He had 14 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists by NBA.com’s count (the AP listed six assists).

Who led the Knicks? Jalen Brunson scored 21 points on 6-of-19 shooting; Karl-Anthony Towns added 19 points and 12 rebounds.