The key facts

  • Philadelphia beat the Knicks 106:100 in the ceremonial opener; LeBron James scored 14 points and dished out 7 assists
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points as the Thunder beat the Spurs 116:104; Wembanyama made only 1 of 13 shots
  • Detroit came back with a 23:0 run and beat Boston 121:113 in Paul George's debut for the Celtics (38 points)

Philadelphia spoils the Knicks' celebration

The Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday beat the defending NBA champion New York Knicks 106:100 in a game tied to the raising of the championship banner at Madison Square Garden. The 41-year-old LeBron James, beginning a record 24th season in the league and already with his fourth career club, scored 14 points and dished out seven of the team's 28 assists. The game's top scorer was Tyrese Maxey with 28 points. 'I could have played much better. I'm still finding my rhythm — I've been with the new team for just over two weeks,' James told NBC, adding that he liked the team's play, especially on defense.

Philadelphia's roster and the Knicks' resistance

Jaylen Brown, who moved from Boston to Philadelphia in July in a trade for Paul George, scored 19 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 6 assists, while Joel Embiid added 13 points and 11 rebounds. For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points and 12 rebounds, but after Philadelphia regained the lead in the third quarter, the hosts could not cut the deficit. The Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought last season by beating San Antonio in the NBA Finals.

The ceremony at the Garden

Before the game, Knicks legends Bill Bradley, Earl Monroe and Walt Frazier presented the team with championship rings. Among the spectators were well-known club fans Ben Stiller and Spike Lee, as well as Jon Bon Jovi and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Finals MVP Jalen Brunson told fans the team was 'ready to turn the page,' but added: 'The joy this city felt this summer, we would like to experience again.' The Knicks are aiming to become the first club to win the title two years in a row since 2018. James, a four-time champion and the league's all-time leading scorer, admitted that winning on the night of someone else's ceremony was especially pleasing: 'It's quite a special feeling.'

The Thunder take revenge on the Spurs

In the evening game of the tripleheader opener, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points, and Oklahoma City, thanks to a powerful start, beat San Antonio 116:104. Victor Wembanyama, whom many expect to end Gilgeous-Alexander's two-year reign as MVP, made only one of 13 shots — an alley-oop at the end of the third quarter. He finished with 12 points (mostly 10 free throws), 13 rebounds and 6 blocks. The Spurs, led by Stephon Castle (24 points), found no answer to the Thunder's play, who were motivated after being eliminated by San Antonio in last season's seven-game Western Conference Finals. 'Obviously, this is the team that took away our goal. But the main thing for us is that we're just glad to be back. A summer without a title lasts longer, and we felt that,' Gilgeous-Alexander said.

Tension in the Thunder–Spurs game

The game between two young teams expected to become long-term rivals for Western Conference supremacy was not without scuffles. Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox received a flagrant foul for throwing Thunder center Chet Holmgren to the floor early in the second quarter, which sparked a scuffle and several technical fouls. San Antonio started the third quarter with discipline and twice cut the deficit to seven points in the second half, but Oklahoma City pulled away again each time.

Detroit snatches a win over Boston

The NBA's 81st season began in Detroit, where the Pistons, thanks to a strong second-half comeback, spoiled Paul George's debut for the Celtics — he scored 38 points. In the matchup of last year's two best regular-season teams, Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren each scored 22 points, and Duncan Robinson recorded 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter — Detroit won 121:113, capitalizing on a 23:0 run.