The Philadelphia 76ers are gearing up to take on the defending champion New York Knicks in Tuesday night’s NBA season opener, with LeBron James expected to be in the starting lineup. Heading into the marquee matchup, 76ers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope set the tone early with a bold message for the hosts.
Following the team’s final shootaround, Caldwell-Pope was asked about the pregame ring ceremony honoring Jalen Brunson and the Knicks‘ championship run. “If it’s their ring night, they’ve gotta take the first loss,” Caldwell-Pope told reporters.
The Knicks will raise their championship banner and receive their ring hardware before tip-off on Tuesday night, a celebration LeBron and the Sixers will be forced to watch from the visiting floor.
While speculation continues to build regarding LeBron’s future beyond the 2026-27 season, the 76ers are focused squarely on the present after making major offseason splashes, headlined by the marquee acquisition of Jaylen Brown from the rival Boston Celtics.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts.
Predicted lineups for Knicks and Sixers
New York aims to kick off its title defense on a high note in front of a raucous home crowd, eager to prove its championship pedigree remains intact. Meanwhile, Philadelphia is looking to make an immediate statement that LeBron and company are legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference.
Here are the predicted starting lineups for both teams:
- New York Knicks — PG: Jalen Brunson | SG: Mikal Bridges | SF: Josh Hart | PF: OG Anunoby | C: Karl-Anthony Towns
- Philadelphia 76ers — PG: Tyrese Maxey | SG: V.J. Edgecombe | SF: Jaylen Brown | PF: LeBron James | C: Joel Embiid
Key takeaways
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said the Knicks must take the first loss on ring night.
- New York will raise their championship banner and receive ring hardware before tip-off.
- Jaylen Brown was acquired by Philadelphia from the Celtics in a major offseason splash.
