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The Knicks began the night with a celebration 53 years in the making, raising their first championship banner since 1973.
The new-look 76ers were the ones celebrating by the end of the evening.
LeBron James, Jaylen Brown & Co. ruined the festivities, reminding the Knicks last year is now in the past with a 106-100 victory in front of a sold-out Garden crowd Tuesday night.
“It’s good, what we wanted to do, be a little spoiler,” Brown said after scoring 19 points and adding eight rebounds and six assists in his 76ers debut. “The Knicks’ accomplishment is great, but it’s a new season, new year.”
The 76ers are expected to be one of the Knicks’ top threats in the Eastern Conference after adding James and Brown in the offseason to the core of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Maxey torched the Knicks for 28 points and James added 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Philly took control with a 29-18 third quarter in which Brown scored 10 points.
In crunch time, the 76ers locked down Jalen Brunson, holding him to 1-for-5 shooting.
“I don’t think we sent a message. We’re just trying to win as many games as possible, stack days,” Brown said. “It’s still early for us. We’re still figuring out a lot of stuff. We still have a lot to learn and grow, but it’s good to learn and grow and win at the same time.”
Last May, the Knicks swept the 76ers out of the second round of the playoffs, winning the four games by an average of 22.2 points.
“I told Tyrese after the game, I was like, ‘We’ve been going against these guys for the last couple of years.’ And, tonight felt a little different,” Embiid said.
Had the Knicks not won it all last June, James and agent Rich Paul have said he would have joined them. But the title changed that. Knicks fans reminded James that the Knicks won a championship without him.
When he was at the free-throw line in the first half, they chanted: “We don’t want you.”
After the victory, James took the high road when asked if he took any pleasure in spoiling the evening for the Knicks.
“It is a great night for New York fans, 50-plus years. I was a part of that at one point where we hadn’t won a major championship in Cleveland in over 50 years,” James said. “The fans will never forget this moment, and will never forget that championship run. We’re happy just to be able to come and play on such a historical night in a historical building and play the game we love.”