Champion Knicks to face Sixers, LeBron in NBA tripleheader
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
LeBron James and Joel Embiid will be playing on the same side this season, after James signed a two-year, $8 million deal in July to join the Sixers. (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images)

The New York Knicks will raise their championship banner on NBA's opening night on Oct. 20, as they face LeBron James and his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers (7 p.m. ET), the NBA announced Tuesday.

The Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons open the tripleheader on NBC in a rare matinee (3 p.m. ET), while the Oklahoma City Thunder play the San Antonio Spurs (9:30 ET) to close it out in a West finals rematch.

The new-look 76ers, transformed by the offseason acquisitions of James, 41, and Jaylen Brown, suffered a 4-0 sweep last season to the Knicks last in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Meanwhile, the Spurs knocked off Oklahoma City in seven games in the Western Conference finals on the Thunder's home floor.

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