76ers win opening game with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, beating NBA champion Knicks 106-100

NEW YORK (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers sent an opening-night message they'll be a contender for the New York Knicks' NBA title after adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, rallying for a 106-100 victory Tuesday.

Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points and Brown had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his first game since being acquired from Boston. James began his NBA-record 24th season by finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

The 76ers got three 3-pointers from Anfernee Simons and two from fellow newcomer Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, as the reserves took advantage of the open looks they got when the Knicks were caught focusing too much on the bigger names.

Jalen Brunson scored 21 points but the NBA Finals MVP shot just 6 for 19 from the field.

Brunson told fans inside Madison Square Garden in a pregame ceremony when the Knicks raised their NBA championship banner and received their rings that: “The joy that this city had this summer, we would love to replicate that again.”

Maybe they can, but they will have to play a lot better than they did Tuesday in shooting 37% overall and 33.3% on 3s. Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points and 12 rebounds.

The Knicks dominated the 76ers in a second-round sweep, early on during their streak of 13 straight victories as part of a 16-3 finish with the highest point differential in NBA postseason history.

Philadelphia then went out and traded for Brown and signed James after the NBA’s career scoring leader decided to leave the Los Angeles Lakers, setting the 76ers up with the potential to be one of the best teams in the league.

They certainly didn’t have a smooth start but played better as the game went on. The Sixers closed the third quarter with an 11-0 run, capped by Brown’s second straight 3-pointer that came at the buzzer and gave Philadelphia an 83-76 lead.

Maxey’s three-point play early in the fourth made it 87-78. The Knicks cut it to 96-95 when Towns made a 3-pointer, but Joel Embiid answered with one and the Sixers stayed ahead.

Embiid finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

Brunson, wearing gold sneakers for the occasion, couldn’t help the Knicks recover by hitting the type of big shots he did when they repeatedly came back to beat San Antonio in five games for their first championship since 1973.

The festive pregame party gave way to a first half filled with long stretches of fouls and missed shots, not leaving much reason for the cheers to continue. The Knicks went ahead by 10 with one good flurry but it was down to 58-54 at halftime.

76ers: Host Cleveland on Thursday night.

Knicks: Visit Boston on Friday night.

See AP’s full NBA coverage here

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots as Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) and Jaylen Brown (7) defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns celebrates after making a three-point basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James drives during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Philadelphia 76ers guard Jaylen Brown, left, celebrates a three-point basket with teammate guard Tyrese Maxey during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Philadelphia 76ers guard Jaylen Brown, left, celebrates a three-point basket with teammate guard Tyrese Maxey, right, as New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown looks on, center, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Declan Chisholm scored the go-ahead goal midway through the second period and Jake Allen made 31 saves as the New Jersey Devils beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 on Tuesday night.

Chisholm scored his first goal for the Devils at 12:33 on a power play, putting New Jersey in front to stay after the teams traded goals in the first.

Luke Evangelista, Arseny Gritsyuk and Jesper Boqvist also scored for the Devils, who recovered from a 4-2 loss at Washington in their previous game.

The 34-year-old Allen, honored before puck drop for playing his 500th career game earlier this month, improved to 4-2-0.

Gabriel Landeskog scored and Artturi Lehkonen added two late goals for the Avalanche, who lost for the third time in four games. Colorado was beaten 3-2 at Philadelphia on Monday.

Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood made 37 saves against his former team. He entered 5-0-0 with a 1.52 goals-against average versus the Devils.

Evangelista opened the scoring at 6:40 of the first with his third goal.

Landeskog tied it at 14:32 with his fourth of the season. The Avalanche captain missed more than three seasons following major right knee surgery. He returned to score 14 goals in 60 games last season.

Gritsyuk’s fourth goal came at 4:39 of the third. Boqvist scored an empty-netter at 16:05 to make it 4-1.

Lehkonen scored at 16:46, then added his team-leading eighth goal with 3.5 seconds left.

New Jersey won for the fourth time in six home games.

Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns played his 1,015th consecutive game. The 41-year-old is 49 games from tying Phil Kessel for the NHL ironman record. Burns has played 1,589 career games.

Avalanche: Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday.

Devils: Host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

New Jersey Devils' Nico Hischier celebrates a goal by teammate Declan Chisholm during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche in Newark, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen, left, defends the net while Colorado Avalanche's T.J. Hughes looks on during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Newark, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New Jersey Devils' Arseny Gritsyuk, right, celebrates his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche in Newark, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen defends the goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche in Newark, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New Jersey Devils' Declan Chisholm, center, celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche in Newark, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)