The New York Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 7 p.m. EDT at Madison Square Garden in New York for the opening game of the NBA Regular Season. Fans in the United States can watch the basketball game live on NBC on broadcast television and stream it on Peacock.
Both franchises enter the matchup with a 0-0 record in the Eastern Conference and the Atlantic Division as the 2026-27 campaign begins. Before tip-off, the New York Knicks will hold their championship ring ceremony and raise the 2025-26 title banner, celebrating the organization’s first trophy since 1973 after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the Finals. In the previous regular season, New York finished third in the East at 53-29, while Philadelphia placed seventh at 45-37. The two sides last met officially in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on May 10, 2026, when the Knicks won 144-114 to complete a 4-0 series sweep.
Where to watch New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers live
The NBA Regular Season opener will air across national broadcast television and streaming platforms in the United States:
- NBC: broadcast TV (over-the-air)
- Peacock: streaming
Start time and venue for New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers
- Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
- Start time: 7 p.m. EDT (19:00 local venue time)
- Venue: Madison Square Garden, in New York
- Competition: NBA — Regular Season
Read also: Philadelphia 76ers host Boston Celtics in NBA preseason finale with full starting lineup
How the New York Knicks enter the game
Head coach Mike Brown, who was hired on July 8, 2025, begins his second season in charge of the New York Knicks after guiding the roster to a 16-3 playoff run and the 2025-26 NBA championship. The team closed out its October preseason preparation on October 15 with a 122-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors, led by 20 points from point guard Jalen Brunson and 14 points apiece from Mikal Bridges and Andre Drummond.
Brunson, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, returns to lead the starting lineup after averaging 26.0 points and 6.8 assists during the 2025-26 regular season and 28.4 points in the playoffs. Ahead of the season opener, Brunson addressed the outside expectations surrounding the defending champions: “There’s only potential distractions when you read and believe what people are saying. So, no matter what’s being said and no matter what’s been talked about, consistently or not, you believe what you want to believe, you hear what you want to hear. It’s on us as teammates and individuals and professionals to understand what the nature of it is. … The way we won was just because of how connected we were as a group. We’ve got to keep that.”
In the official NBA injury report released on Monday (19), the New York Knicks listed no absentees after forward Josh Hart was cleared from an ankle issue, and no players are suspended. The main bench addition is center Andre Drummond, signed during the offseason from the Philadelphia 76ers to replace Mitchell Robinson, who departed for the Boston Celtics. The rotation also features Landry Shamet, Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson, and Jose Alvarado.
- Probable New York Knicks starting lineup: Jalen Brunson (point guard), Mikal Bridges (shooting guard), OG Anunoby (small forward), Josh Hart (power forward), and Karl-Anthony Towns (center).
How the Philadelphia 76ers enter the game
Head coach Nick Nurse, who took over the team in 2023, starts his fourth season leading the Philadelphia 76ers. The roster marks the official debuts of 41-year-old power forward LeBron James and small forward Jaylen Brown. James signed a two-year, $8 million contract in July 2026, while Brown arrived via a trade with the Boston Celtics. In the preseason, Philadelphia defeated the Knicks 120-97 on October 5, but dropped its next three exhibition games against the Brooklyn Nets (114-108) and the Boston Celtics (144-106 and 125-120).
The Philadelphia 76ers have three confirmed injury absences for the opener: center Ariel Hukporti is out for the season after suffering a torn right Achilles tendon on October 5, 2026; power forward Dominick Barlow is sidelined with a lumbar spine bone stress reaction and will be re-evaluated in two weeks; and two-way contract center Tacko Fall is out with a left hip and quadriceps injury. In addition, three reserve players are listed as questionable on the injury report: power forward Dean Wade (left ankle sprain suffered in the final preseason game), center Adem Bona (left foot sprain), and point guard Anfernee Simons (left hamstring soreness).
- Probable Philadelphia 76ers starting lineup: Tyrese Maxey (point guard), VJ Edgecombe (shooting guard), Jaylen Brown (small forward), LeBron James (power forward), and Joel Embiid (center).
Read also: Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics: where to watch live and start time (NBA, Oct 16)
Officiating for New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers
The officiating crew for New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers had not yet been announced by the NBA as of Tuesday morning (20), as the league publishes official referee assignments on game days.
Head-to-head history and next game for New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers
Before Philadelphia’s 120-97 preseason win in Philadelphia on October 5, 2026, the New York Knicks dominated the most recent playoff series between the Atlantic Division rivals, sweeping the 2026 Eastern Conference semifinals 4-0 and sealing the elimination with a 144-114 win on May 10, 2026. Following Tuesday’s season opener, the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks will face each other again on October 30, 2026, at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, in a game valid for East Group B of the NBA Cup.
