Ten games to watch from the Sixers’ 2026-27 season, including the ‘Nova Knicks and LeBron James’ former teams

The march toward the 2026-27 season has been unlike any other in 76ers history. In one offseason, the organization hired Mike Gansey as president of basketball operations, traded for Jaylen Brown, and signed LeBron James.

That series of events has created quite a bit of excitement in Philly. Ticket prices were jacked up at Xfinity Mobile Arena. James murals went up all over town. And fans were riled up after a slimmed-down Joel Embiid arrived to informal workouts in midseason shape.

That predated Thursday’s release of the Sixers’ full season schedule. We’d been given a look at marquee games, including opening week and Christmas Day. Now with the full schedule in front of us, here are 10 games to watch from one of the more-anticipated Sixers seasons in recent memory:

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The NBA has leaned into this rivalry in recent years for several reasons. The ’Nova Knicks have numerous Philly connections, and these franchises had failed to reach the mountaintop for decades. That finally changed for the Knicks in June after knocking off the Sixers in the Eastern Conference semifinals as part of their NBA championship run. Now that the Sixers have formed a “Big Five″ and could turn the tide. A matchup on ring night and another on Oct. 30 could deliver an early postseason matchup.

Folks in Philly will get their first regular-season glimpse of the new-look Sixers as James faces one of his former teams. This meeting will have a little extra sauce after James considered the Cavaliers in free agency and did not pick home in his “final decision.” The Cavaliers have the continuity advantage after they doubled down on their roster with Donovan Mitchell signing a big extension and former Sixer James Harden expected to re-sign this summer.

There has been no love lost between Brown and the Celtics since he was traded to the Sixers on July 1. Brown still is coming to grips with the separation after spending the first 10 years of his career in Boston. Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes issues from his tenure there have started to emerge, as he and Jayson Tatum have carried on a cold war of sorts in the media and Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens struggles to explain the deal that netted an aging Paul George. Brown, fresh off his “favorite season” as the centerpiece in Boston, will need to learn to fit into a star-studded Sixers roster. But he’ll likely take center stage in this matchup.

This game takes on significance for several reasons, chiefly Embiid’s return to Houston for the first time since he underwent an emergency appendectomy in April. That surgery was one in a long line of ill-timed Embiid injuries. Finally on a team with tangible title hopes, Embiid’s quest to stay healthy has never been more important.

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Ownership weirdness aside, the Lakers still are one of the NBA’s cornerstone franchises. It’s the reason James chose them in 2018 when he last entertained changing teams. It’s the reason he made waves this summer when he declared his intention to leave the West Coast. Before that public divorce, the Lakers already appeared to be trending in another direction with Luka Dončić on a max deal and Austin Reaves signed to another contract extension this offseason. Even at 41 years old, James will have extra motivation on Christmas Day in LA.

The Sixers’ and Miami Heat’s first matchup this season is Nov. 25. But with new rosters on both sides, they still will be figuring things out at that stage. This Jan. 8 meeting will be the real matchup. By then, James, Brown, and new Heat star Giannis Antetokounmpo will have had time meshing with their new rosters and figuring out life in new cities. The East is a gauntlet, and these franchises are part of what has altered the conference.

Brown’s news conference was a sign he intends to put down real roots in Philly. He also connected with Boston and will hold a block party later this month to put a bow on his tenure there. Celtics fans had plenty of reasons to love Brown, who helped deliver a title in 2024 and was Finals MVP. But then Brown will have to flip the switch and remember that he now plays for the team he was “programmed to hate.”

The Sixers’ seismic offseason started with one February transaction. Jared McCain was sent to the Thunder at the February trade deadline, which likely spelled the end of Daryl Morey’s time in town. His trade was considered the linchpin that led to Gansey being hired, the trade for Brown, and the signing of James. Still, McCain remains well-liked in Philly, and his Thunder will serve as a crucial test for the Sixers right before All-Star break.

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One of the best performances of Embiid’s career came against one of the best defenders in NBA history. Embiid scored 70 points against then-rookie Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 22, 2024. It also was one of the final times Embiid looked fully healthy. He suffered a meniscus injury about a week later and underwent left knee surgery. Embiid’s health will be critical for the Sixers’ title hopes. This should serve as a nice test for him right before the playoffs.

Speaking of tests, the Sixers by this point likely will start to wind down and load manage before the postseason. So against Golden State, another team James considered this summer, the Sixers will play a franchise with championship pedigree even if it’s past its prime years.