The new-look Philadelphia 76ers will kick off the 2026-27 NBA season against the defending-champion New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. It won't be an easy opener for Philadelphia. It will be tough, but a good litmus test of where the team is at the onset of the campaign.
If the Sixers want to start the season with a win, they're going to need to take advantage of some specific matchups. Here's a look at three key matchups for Philly in the season opener against New York.
Tyrese Maxey vs. Jalen Brunson
The battle of the star guards will take center stage in the season opener. Jalen Brunson is the reigning NBA Finals MVP, while Tyrese Maxey has established himself as one of the best scorers and guards in the entire NBA. The head-to-head battle between these two could go a long way towards determining the outcome of the contest.
Unfortunately for Maxey, Brunson has largely dominated previous matchups between the two All-Stars, dating back to his Dallas days. Overall, Brunson holds an 18-8 record over Maxey in games that the two have played against each other, including an 8-2 postseason record. The Knicks swept the Sixers in four games in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season.
It's a new season, though, so past results don't matter, and Maxey will look to start the '26-27 campaign on the right foot with a big win over his longtime rival.
Joel Embiid vs. Karl-Anthony Towns
The rivalry between Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns dates back a decade and features some memorable moments. The star big men have played 17 games against each other, and Embiid holds a slight edge, with a 9-8 record against Towns. However, Towns won all three postseason matchups between the two.
Heading into the season, both guys have generated headlines. Embiid has turned heads by being healthy and in excellent shape, while Towns has publicly expressed his displeasure with his contract situation in New York. Despite his contributions in helping the Knicks win their first title in 50 years last season, he couldn't agree to an extension with the organization over the offseason, much to his dismay.
The battle of the bigs will likely have a major impact on the outcome of the contest on Tuesday night. If Embiid can establish himself on offense and cause Towns to commit some early fouls, it could spell trouble for New York. But if Towns can connect on some long-range shots and pull Embiid away from the basket, it could open things up for Brunson and the rest of the Knicks. These guys always seem to get extra motivated to play against each other, and the season opener should be no different.
76ers bench vs. Knicks bench
While Philadelphia's new-look starting five has received much of the attention heading into the season, and understandably so, the team also upgraded the bench in a big way over the offseason. New faces on the bench for Philadelphia include Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Labaron Philon Jr., and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. If the Sixers want to reach their full potential as a team, they'll need to rely on the bench, so the game against the Knicks will be a good test to see how the unit looks.
Meanwhile, New York's bench looks very similar to how it looked last season, other than the fact that Andre Drummond has replaced Mitchell Robinson as the backup center behind Towns. So, we largely know what to expect from that group. When the game is over, total bench points for both teams should be a major stat of interest to see how Philly's reserves stacked up against New York's.
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