NBA opens with 76ers spoiling Knicks’ ring night, Pistons’ 22-point comeback and a Thunder win in San Antonio
The 2026-27 NBA season tipped off Tuesday with a tripleheader: the Philadelphia 76ers beat the defending champion New York Knicks 106-100 after the Knicks raised their title banner, the Detroit Pistons rallied from 22 points down to beat the Boston Celtics 121-113, and the Oklahoma City Thunder won 116-104 at San Antonio, NBA.com reported.
Ring night at the Garden: The Knicks raised their first championship banner in 53 years before tip-off, NBA.com reported. Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points for Philadelphia, and LeBron James had 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists while Jaylen Brown scored 19 in their 76ers debuts. Brown’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer capped an 11-0 run to end the third quarter, CBS Sports reported. Jalen Brunson led New York with 21 points on 6-of-19 shooting.
Detroit’s comeback: Paul George scored 38 points, a record for a Celtics debut, but Boston’s 22-point lead slipped away as Duncan Robinson scored 21 and Javonte Green had 19 second-half points, NBA.com reported. The two combined to make 10 of 17 3-point attempts, CBS Sports reported. Jayson Tatum scored 13 points on 6-of-23 shooting.
Thunder over Spurs: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points and Jared McCain added 20 off the bench as Oklahoma City beat San Antonio in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference finals, NBA.com reported. Victor Wembanyama missed his first 12 field goal attempts and finished with 12 points, CBS Sports reported. A first-half scuffle led to a flagrant foul on De’Aaron Fox and several technical fouls.
What they said: “I like the way we played. I think we played exceptionally well, especially defensively,” James said, according to NBA.com. “One of 82. This doesn’t prove anything,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.