The Knicks Ended the Last Two Sixers Seasons. Last Night…

By the 76ers Nightly Desk · Tuesday, October 6

Philadelphia beat the Knicks 120-97 last night in the preseason opener, with Jaylen Brown scoring 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting. It's the first meeting since New York swept the 76ers out of last season's playoffs, and a preseason score with three starters resting doesn't erase that history.

76ers Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Does last night's win over the Knicks mean anything?

Not for the rivalry. Philadelphia won 120-97 with Jaylen Brown scoring 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting, but Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James all sat out. New York beat the 76ers 4-2 in the first round in 2024, then swept them out of last season's playoffs entirely. One preseason score with half the roster resting doesn't touch either result.

Why does this franchise keep trading for stars instead of building through the draft?

Because the one time it tried the alternative, it backfired fast. Wilt Chamberlain won the title here in 1967, then got traded to the Lakers after the 1967-68 season for Archie Clark, Darrall Imhoff and Jerry Chambers. Four years later, the 76ers finished 30-52, missing the playoffs for the first time in team history. Trading Paul George and four picks for Jaylen Brown this summer is the same bet: that a star swap outruns a slow rebuild.

Is the Celtics rivalry still the one that defines this team?

Boston is the older wound: the 1984-85 conference finals, Charles Barkley's rookie year, decades of division races. It's personal for Jaylen Brown too, since he spent his career on the other side of that rivalry before the trade brought him to Philadelphia this summer. But New York is the rivalry doing the damage lately, with a first-round loss in 2024 and a sweep last season.

What would actually end the title drought this team keeps getting asked about?

Philadelphia hasn't won it all since 1983, when Maurice Cheeks started at point guard. Putting Embiid, Maxey, Brown and James on one roster is the clearest run at ending that in years, but last night's box score, Embiid, Maxey and James all held out, Ariel Hukporti leaving early for an Achilles that needed imaging, is a reminder of how much still has to go right before any of it gets tested.

The verdictNew York has ended the 76ers' last two seasons, and a preseason win with three starters resting doesn't change that history. The real answer comes October 20, when Philadelphia opens the regular season in New York with everybody available.

Did the 76ers beat the Knicks last night?

Yes, 120-97 in the preseason opener, though Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James all sat out.

When do the 76ers play the Knicks in a game that counts?

October 20, on the road, in Philadelphia's regular-season opener.