There are 1,230 games across 169 days in the NBA regular season – but the biggest draw of them all could come on day one.
One of the greatest players in the sport’s history in LeBron James will make his 76ers debut alongside a plethora of other superstars in a new-look Philadelphia side that visit the title holders – New York Knicks – at Madison Square Garden, live on Sky Sports Main Event from 11pm on Tuesday.
It doesn’t get any bigger than this to begin a new season.
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James got 10 points, five assists and four rebounds in the first half during his Philadelphia 76ers debut in a pre-season match against Brooklyn Nets
Much of the off-season discussion has centred around James’ move to the east coast and the threat his Sixers side could pose to existing title contenders.
That is talk that a stacked Knicks team will be hoping to prove is cheap at the very first opportunity in front of what is set to be a raucous New York crowd, with the home side set to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy in front of their fans pre-match after winning their first championship in 53 years.
So – is Philadelphia’s drastic off-season rebuild actually enough to give them true title credentials? Or are the Knicks still in pole position to retain the NBA championship?
We assess the state of play in the Eastern Conference heading into the blockbuster match that opens the new NBA season…
Sixers’ puzzle pieces need to fit
Jaylen Brown was traded from the Celtics to the Sixers in a blockbuster trade involving wing Paul George
The optimism in Philadelphia in May was palpable after Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers to a famous game seven victory on the road against the second seed Boston Celtics.
They secured a remarkable 4-3 first-round win after coming from 3-1 down, their first post-season series win against their fierce rivals since 1982.
Their joy was short-lived. The eventual champion Knicks made quick work of the Sixers, winning four out of four to secure the series sweep and condemn them to yet another second-round exit – a stage of the playoffs they have not been able to progress past in seven attempts since 2001.
That record is what James’ side will be hoping to change. His addition gives the Sixers a formidable starting five featuring all-star point guard Tyrese Maxey, promising second-year wing VJ Edgecombe, and another headline addition in the NBA’s leading scorer Jaylen Brown, who arrives after a blockbuster summer trade that saw the Sixers give up Paul George and draft picks in return.
The frontcourt of superstars James and Joel Embiid boasts an incredible level of NBA acumen, with five NBA MVP awards between them.
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Last month James spoke to the media for the first time since signing for Philadelphia 76ers
“I didn’t leave my family [in Los Angeles] to lose in the second round,” James said on the Sixers’ pre-season media day. “I know that for sure. Work needs to be done, and I’m ready to get to work.”
The key to their success will be whether head coach Nick Nurse can find a sense of balance in a starting five that features four players averaging over 20 points a night.
A 42-year-old James has already embraced the change from scorer to facilitator in his older years. After the Lakers’ playoff defeat to the Thunder, he told a press conference that it was “pretty cool” to play as the third scoring option for his former team in 2025/26.
He looks set to continue that transition in a team with three of the NBA’s top 10 scorers from last season.
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James has stunned the basketball world once again by announcing he had signed for the Philadelphia 76ers, a franchise that hasn’t won an NBA title in 43 years
The biggest challenge for Philadelphia will come on the defensive side of the ball. While Edgecombe solidified his status as a defender of significant calibre in his rookie season, each of the other four starters are more offensive-minded – meaning at least one will have to put himself forward to take on the more challenging defensive match-ups.
They will need to find that balance fast against a multi-faceted Knicks offence – otherwise, the NBA’s newest ‘super team’ could find itself with more questions than answers at the start of a crucial campaign.
Knicks showing no signs of slowing down
New York erupted after the Knicks won their first title for 53 years last season
The Knicks, in many ways, are an example of the opposite path to success than their opening-day opponents are attempting to follow.
Their championship run was the result of a roster built over multiple years, prioritising significant depth and a team-first underdog mentality epitomised by star Jalen Brunson, who himself was passed on by multiple teams in the draft – and free agency in years past – due to doubts over his physical attributes.
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Fans of the New York Knicks gathered to celebrate their NBA Playoff Final win
The spine of their championship-winning side also boasts a level of familiarity that is the envy of much of the NBA. Three of their core players – Brunson, guard Josh Hart and forward Mikal Bridges – won a national championship together at college level with Villanova, and are entering their third season on the same NBA team.
That championship-level chemistry – that the Knicks built from the ground up – is what the Sixers will be hoping to establish with their newly acquired superstars in just a fraction of the time.
New York’s off-season activity prioritised continuity, retaining three of the four team members eligible for free agency and making just one signing: that of former Sixers centre Andre Drummond on a veteran’s minimum deal, replacing Mitchell Robinson after he was poached on a three-year, $47.4m (£35.6m) contract by the Celtics.
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Highlights of the NBA Finals Game 5 match-up between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs
Robinson’s loss is a significant one, but retaining the services of 10 of the 11 core players in a championship-winning side conveys a clear message: they believe in their championship-winning formula, and are hungry for more.
“We’re all excited for the opportunity to do it again,” Hart told reporters on media day. “You guys will see that with how we conduct ourselves and how we play, that we’re not satisfied with one.”
Recording an opening-night win and maintaining the status quo against a team who have been the off-season talk of the league would make a clear statement – one that could help determine the course of the Eastern Conference throughout the rest of the season.
NBA opening night on Sky Sports
Tuesday 20 October – Boston Celtics @ Detroit Pistons – 8pm, Sky Sports +
Tuesday 20 October – Philadelphia 76ers @ New York Knicks – 11pm, Sky Sports Main Event (tip-off 12am)
Wednesday 21 October – Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs – 2.30am, Sky Sports Main Event
Watch LeBron’s Sixers face the Knicks and all the other action from NBA opening night live on Sky Sports. Not got Sky? Get the latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract