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Sixers-Knicks news: LeBron, 76ers open season in New York; hype video drops; schedule and how to watch

After a big summer, the Sixers kick off their 2026-27 season at Madison Square Garden against the defending champions.

Sixers forward LeBron James points during a preseason game against the Boston Celtics on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026 in Philadelphia.
Sixers forward LeBron James points during a preseason game against the Boston Celtics on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026 in Philadelphia.Read more
Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
What you should know

  1. LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers will begin the season against the New York Knicks tonight at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m., NBC).

  2. LeBron chose the Sixers in his "final decision." Now he’s bringing a championship "blueprint" to Philly.

  3. It's hard to know what to expect from the Sixers big five, and if "sacrifice" will define their season.

  4. Simulating the Sixers season on NBA 2K27 produced surprising results. A glitch or cause for concern?

  5. Here are 35 things to know about the East teams standing in the Sixers' way, from LeBron's success against the Knicks to the return of Kawhi Leonard.

LeBron graces the cover of SLAM in Sixers gear

Over two decades ago, LeBron James graced the cover of SLAM Magazine for the very first time. The high schooler shared the SLAM 62 cover with fellow star Sebastian Telfair in 2002 with the words “the takeover” decorating the front.

Twenty-three seasons later, the King is reintroducing himself. James will make his 30th cover appearance for SLAM Magazine in the latest December/January issue — and this time, he’s rocking some new threads.

The 41-year-old stands out in his No. 23 Sixers jersey on the cover of SLAM 265 with the words “Allow me to reintroduce myself,” written underneath him. That quote is a nod to Jay-Z's "Public Service Announcement," a song off his Black Album, which was released in 2003, the same year James was drafted.

Watch: LeBron, Sixers hit the court for shootaround

Sixers drop hype video ahead of season opener

Did the Knicks already crown themselves 2026-27 NBA champs?

The Knicks must be feeling pretty good about themselves ahead of their season opener. Tonight, they'll get their ring for winning the NBA title back in June, and all fans in attendance will get a shirt to celebrate. Only the shirt doesn't honor the team's most recent championship (for the 2025-26 season), at least not at first glance.

If you look closely, the shirts say "2026-27 Champions Night." Is it a typo? Are the Knicks predicting back-to-back titles? Or is it just poor messaging? Perhaps the "2026-27" applies to the "Night" and not "Champions," and they are noting that tonight is "Champions Night" for the 2026-27 season. Even if that's the case, that's likely not how it's going to be received.

— Matt Mullin

Sixers tickets are expensive. These games offer the best value.

Many die-hard Sixers fans already purchased their tickets for this season, even though the average price of the cheapest tickets for each game has exceeded $100, compared to just $24 from last season. However, if you’re new to the bandwagon or a veteran of the Process era who hasn’t secured seats, we’re here to help.

We took a look at each of the team's home games this season and weighed how much it cost to get in the door — and how much to sit in the lower level — against the opponent and other factors to help you find which game is right for you.

From games against the Knicks, Lakers, and Cavs that will cost well over $100 just to get in the door to other matchups against teams like the Pelicans and Grizzlies that are much more reasonable, here's a look at the rising cost of being a Sixers fan.

» READ MORE: Looking for Sixers tickets without breaking the bank? These are the games to target.

— Jasen Lo, Matt Mullin

Sixers-Knicks: Start time, how to watch and stream

LeBron James and the Sixers kick off their highly-anticipated season against the New York Knicks tonight in Madison Square Garden (7 p.m., NBC).

Calling the second opener will be play-by-play veteran Mike Tirico, who is starting his second season as the lead voice of NBC's NBA coverage. Joining him on the broadcast will be Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford, with Zora Stephenson reporting courtside.

Not that Sixers fans will want to tune in, but NBC will feature the Knicks raising their championship banner during its NBA Showtime pregame show at 6:30 p.m.

Sixers schedule: Lots of national TV during first 10 games

The country will see a lot of LeBron James and the 76ers to start the season.

Six of the Sixers' first 10 games will air nationally, beginning with tonight's season opener against the New York Knicks.

During that span, the Sixers will appear twice on both ESPN and Amazon's Prime Video, which is in its second season streaming games on Friday nights. Their slate expands to Thursday nights once the NFL season is over.