LeBron James Sees Room to Grow After 76ers Beat Knicks on Opening Night
LeBron James opened his Philadelphia career with a 106-100 win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night in New York (Wednesday in Manila). Then he talked about how much work is left.
The game was at Madison Square Garden, on the night the Knicks raised their championship banner and received their rings. Philadelphia trailed by four at halftime, took the lead back in the third quarter and held off every Knicks push after that. James said winning on another team’s ring night was special.
Setting the Table for Maxey
James is 41 and in his 24th season, with his fourth team. He finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 28. Jaylen Brown added 19 points, and Joel Embiid had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
It was also James’s 25th win in 35 career games at the Garden.
Knicks Shot 37%
The Knicks shot 37% from the floor and 33% from three. James said the team played exceptionally well on defense. He was honest about his own game, saying he is still finding his rhythm after a little over two weeks with the new squad. He also said he is blessed to still be playing at this level.
One Game, and He Knows It
James did not oversell it. “It’s going to take some time,” he said of the new-look lineup, adding that it was only one game. He said the team can learn from what it did well. When the Sixers hit rough patches, he said, they used what they had seen earlier and adjusted.
Leading by Showing Up Early
James said he leads by example. He is at the gym before everyone else and among the last to leave, and he does not just tell teammates what to do. He expects Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, to help build a winning culture because he has been to the finish line and can hold teammates accountable.
Cleveland Is Next
The Sixers are chasing their first title since Julius Erving led the club to the crown 43 years ago. Their home opener is Thursday against Cleveland, one of James’s former teams. They play the Knicks again on October 30 in the NBA Cup opener and meet the Lakers on Christmas Day.
