NBA: LeBron James, Philadelphia 76ers spoil New York Knicks’ title celebration in season opener

LeBron James of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a layup during the third quarter of the NBA game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

New York Knicks’ ring and banner-raising ceremony was spoiled by the Philadelphia 76ers, which walked away with a 106-110 win in their NBA season opener on Tuesday, with Tyrese Maxey scoring a game-high 28 points.

Ahead of the game, the Knicks received their championship rings from Walt “Clyde” ​Frazier - a member of the franchise’s previous title-winning teams ⁠in 1970 and 1973 and an analyst on New York’s television broadcast team - and raised the banner commemorating the long-awaited crown.

However, the 76ers, who were swept by the ‌Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals before adding Jaylen Brown and LeBron James over the summer, dampened the festivities by taking ‌the lead for good with an 11-0 run to end the third ‌quarter. ⁠Brown (19 points, eight rebounds, six assists) and James (14 points, ⁠nine rebounds, seven assists) produced strong debuts for the 76ers, who haven’t won the title since 1983.

Karl-Anthony Towns (19 points, 12 rebounds) and Andre Drummond (12 points, 14 rebounds) recorded double-doubles for ​the Knicks. Brunson finished with ‌21 points but shot just 6-of-19 from the field. Josh Hart had 14 points while OG Anunoby added 10 points.