New York:The 2026-27 NBA season began with the Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, and Oklahoma City Thunder securing victories in the opening-day games. The Philadelphia 76ers triumphed over the defending champions, the New York Knicks, with a score of 106-100 at Madison Square Garden, marking LeBron James' debut with his new team.
According to Philippines News Agency, the New York Knicks celebrated their recent championship victory by receiving their rings and raising the title banner before the game, after ending a 53-year drought last season. However, their celebrations were short-lived as the 76ers, featuring a new lineup with James and Jaylen Brown, took control. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 28 points, while Brown contributed 19 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. James, in his 24th NBA season, finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Joel Embiid added 13 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers, who took control with an 11-0 run late in the third quarter.
In another game, the Detroit Pistons staged a dramatic comeback to defeat the Boston Celtics 121-113. Despite trailing by 22 points, the Pistons turned the game around with a 23-0 run and outscored the Celtics 76-55 in the second half. Duncan Robinson scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, and Cade Cunningham added 22 points and eight assists. Paul George, making his Celtics debut, scored 38 points, but Boston could not maintain their lead.
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 116-104 in a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points, while Jared McCain contributed 20 points off the bench. The Spurs' Victor Wembanyama had a challenging game, making only one of 13 field-goal attempts, but managed to finish with 12 points, 13 rebounds, and six blocks.
The NBA's opening games set the stage for a larger slate of matches, including the Golden State Warriors facing the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks visiting the Houston Rockets.
