2026 NBA Preseason: NY Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers - October 5, 2026 at Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia

So yeah, I really did not get much of an opportunity to see the Knicks back in June during the championship parade after winning the first NBA title in franchise history in 53 years.

That made me determined to go to at least one Knicks game this year, especially preseason. Much like with the NFL, the tickets often are more readily available and much more affordable. That was the case this time around, and so I got to see almost all of the big players who contributed to the championship run, except for one who got traded to Boston. 

Pretty much all of the Knicks players not only were in the building, but played, at least the first half. So I saw the starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns. Also, some other notable guys who were instrumental in the championship drive, including Landry Shamet, Miles McBride, and Jordan Clarkson.

For the 76ers, I saw another NBA champion, Jaylen Brown, who of course won the NBA title with the Boston Celtics a few years back. VJ Edgecomb played as well, as did Dean Wade, Ariel Hukporti, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. LeBron James was in the building, but he was sitting on the bench. I saw him, but it was not as exciting as when I actually saw him play back in 2012, when he was with the Miami Heat (who would go on to win the NBA title later that year). 

Most of the game was relatively even while I was there, although the Sixers began to distance themselves from the Knicks late in the half. In the second half, they completely took over the game, winning this one, 120-97.

Still, this was the first time that the Knicks stepped on the hardcourt since they clinched that elusive title in Game 5 of the NBA Championship in June. In other words, this was the first time that they stepped onto the court as defending champions, even if this was a preseason contest.

It was enjoyable, and the first NBA game I had attended since way back in 2016, which also featured the Philadelphia 76ers, who were hosting the Golden State Warriors during that 73-win season. Remember that? It was over a decade ago.

A fun night. Here are some pictures: