The most anticipated moment of the season has arrived for Knicks fans, who will raise their third NBA championship banner early next morning.
It will be the most special ring ceremony of all. 53 years since their last title, with Madison Square Garden packed to the rafters.
Opposing them will be a Sixers side aiming for everything this season, with the signings of LeBron James and the trade for Jaylen Brown from the Celtics.
The main last-minute doubts will be Dean Wade, who twisted an ankle in the last preseason game, and young VJ Edgecombe, who is dealing with minor physical issues.
For the Knicks, the standout news of recent days has been James Wiseman, who has earned the final roster spot following the announcement of Bruce Brown’s release.
76ers vs Knicks date and time
Date: 20 October 2026.
Time: These are the starting times for 76ers vs Knicks by time zone.
| UK, Ireland and Portugal | 00:00 |
| Dominican Republic, USA (Boston, New York and Miami), Puerto Rico and Venezuela | 18:00 |
| Mexico (central), USA (Texas and Chicago), El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua | 16:00 |
| Mexico (Pacific) and USA (Los Angeles) | 16:00 |
| Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay | 19:00 |
| Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama | 18:00 |
Venue: Madison Square Garden in New York.
76ers vs Knicks starting fives
At this stage of the series, no surprises are expected on either side. Both coaches will go with the starting lineups that have brought them this far.
There are many doubts about the Sixers’ starting five, since, as we mentioned earlier, VJ Edgecombe and his teammate Dean Wade will be last-minute doubts due to minor physical discomfort.
For their part, the Knicks plan to come out all-in if Josh Hart is finally available after missing the last games of the season. If he is not fit to play, everything points to Mike Brown turning to young Mohamed Diawara.
| 76ers | Knicks |
| Tyrese Maxey | Jalen Brunson |
| Jaylen Brown | Mikal Bridges |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Josh Hart |
| LeBron James | OG Anunoby |
| Joel Embiid | Karl-Anthony Towns |
76ers vs Knicks: best bet
It will be very difficult to predict the result of this first game, since both teams are practically without any game time together.
However, a point in favour of the Knicks, who play at home and will be in high spirits after receiving their 2026 champions’ ring in a ceremony that has been long awaited.
The Garden and its fans will dress up and back the team fervently in the opening game of the new 2026-27 regular season, where they are defending the title.
And the curse will follow them all season, since reigning champions often fall at the first hurdle in the playoffs with no chance of retaining the title.
76ers latest news: injuries and form
Many doubts surround the visitors, with six players on the edge to debut early next morning.
The list is long and includes Dean Wade, VJ Edgecombe, Anfernee Simmons, Adem Bona, Dominick Barlow and dual player Tacko Fall.
Faced with this situation, the Sixers head into the new season, although we expect many of them will ultimately be available.
The only certain absence is Ariel Hukporti, who suffered a serious injury in the first preseason game against precisely the Knicks.
Player to watch: Jaylen Brown
We are really eager to see this new project get going in Philadelphia with a starting five that will frighten more than one rival.
And if we are going to keep an eye on one player, apart from LeBron James, it will be Jaylen Brown, who is set to lead Nick Nurse’s offence alongside Tyrese Maxey.
A starting backcourt in Philadelphia that could bring them plenty of joy, with Maxey running the offence and hammering from outside, and a Jaylen Brown capable of performing at both ends of the floor.
Brown has already shown he can carry a team on his back, having performed outstandingly last season in Boston in the absence of the injured Jayson Tatum.
As the on-court leader under Joe Mazzulla, he guided the legendary greens to 56 wins.
Knicks latest news: injuries and form
According to the latest reports from the New York press, Mike Brown will have his entire squad available for this first meeting of the season against Philadelphia.
Whatever the result of this first clash, it will be a day of enjoyment for all New Yorkers, since they have waited more than half a century to lift their third NBA championship. Without doubt it will be a very important evening for everyone, players, coaches, management and, above all, fans.
Player to watch: Karl Anthony-Towns
We will be keeping a close eye on the Dominican after intense negotiations with the Knicks over an extension that ultimately did not materialise due to a gap of several million dollars. Specifically, a total of 76 million between what Leon Rose offered and the maximum salary he could aspire to.
Therefore, KAT will again be key in this first game. Especially with Embiid on the other side and with Mitchell Robinson’s departure to the Celtics.
The Dominican changed everything for the Knicks from Game 3 against the Atlanta Hawks. His new organising role from the elbow opened up a new range of possibilities in Mike Brown’s offence.
He freed Brunson from responsibility and let the wings shine. Especially an unstoppable O.G. Anunoby until he injured his hamstring in the playoffs.
The Knicks’ dominance was such that they recorded a record 13 consecutive wins in the playoffs. They swept through the Semifinals, the Conference Finals and the NBA Finals, beating the Spurs, the favourites, by a resounding 4-1.
And all of this came from Towns’ new role. A tall organiser from the elbow. A game very similar to what team-mates like Jokic in Denver or Sabonis in Sacramento bring.
76ers vs Knicks: head-to-head record
Last season they met up to four times, with the two sides finishing 2-2.
- 20 December: Philadelphia win 116-107 with 22 points from Towns.
- 04 January: Philadelphia win 130-119 with 30 points from Brunson.
- 24 January: New York win 112-109 with 31 points from Brunson.
- 12 February: New York win 138-89 with 26 points from José Alvarado.
The playoffs were a different story, with the Knicks sweeping 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against an extremely fatigued Sixers side that had previously beaten the Celtics.
- Game 1: New York win 137-98 with 35 points from Brunson.
- Game 2: New York win 108-102 with 26 points from Brunson.
- Game 3: New York win 108-94 with 33 points from Brunson.
- Game 4: New York win 144-114 with 25 points from McBride.
Predictions for 76ers vs Knicks
- First triple-double of the season for Karl Anthony-Towns.
- Jalen Brunson as the game’s top scorer with 25+ points.
- 20+ points combined for the Maxey and Brown duo.
- Joel Embiid debut with a double-double for the Cameroonian.
Where to watch 76ers vs Knicks
The game between Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks can be watched in the UK via NBA League Pass subscription and Amazon Prime.