October 31, 2026
Bill Streicher/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LeBron James had his first 20-point game with the Sixers in Friday's win over New York.
PHILADELPHIA – The Sixers' second win over the defending champions in 11 days was set into motion during the summer – when Tyrese Maxey watched film of a team that was playing when he was 16 years old.
"We talked about it a little bit, especially during the summertime as soon as he decided to come here," Maxey said after the Sixers' dramatic win over the New York Knicks. "I remember, about 10 years ago, maybe nine years ago, when [Kevin Durant] joined the Warriors. KD and [Stephen Curry] did it a lot, and I just kind of watched a little bit of film on that."
It probably did not require the deepest of dives to understand that if Maxey and LeBron James screened for each other, opposing defenses would be in trouble. But, James said, he and Maxey dove back into the film while the team was in Indianapolis earlier in the week.
"It's something that we're going to continue to develop as the season goes on," James said after the best performance of his young Sixers tenure, "and we've been actually watching film together on ways that we can continue to complement each other. Either I'm with the ball in my hands, he's setting it, or ball in his hands, I'm setting it. We're playing off one another, so we know we're going to track a lot of eyes when we have the ball. So we want to try to be on the same page."
They were on a hell of a page on Friday night. After four games of trying to feel his way into his new team, James upped the ante against the Knicks, registering 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Maxey continually screened for him, on and off the ball. It forced the Knicks to switch and enabled James to pummel smaller players:
AND ONE LEBRON FLEX ON EM GOAT pic.twitter.com/VlsgNmBgip
— MAL (@MindOfBron) October 31, 2026
— ✥ (@FunKneeBone) October 31, 2026
"I think we need it," Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. "I think that our play out of the low post has been excellent. It's either been a bucket or a cut for a layup for somebody else or a kick-out three... I know the low-post game is a little bit infrequently used these days, but I think for us with guys spacing and cutting and stuff, it's been pretty good to us."
Powered by his post play (and Maxey's summer film session), James was the best player on the floor for the first time as a member of the Sixers, and when the Knicks mounted a late comeback to take the lead, he immediately restored order with a go-ahead jumper:
— ✥ (@FunKneeBone) October 31, 2026
James has become the "calming presence" for the Sixers, Maxey and others said after the game. Following VJ Edgecombe's latest clutch triple, James put the game away by rebounding a Maxey miss and laying the ball in. Another win had been secured and another statement had been made.
LEBRON STILL THE CLOSER AT 41 MAN. pic.twitter.com/2iHfAiePvz
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 31, 2026
Things have been far from perfect for the Sixers, but they went to bed on Friday night as the 5-1 Sixers. They defended on a string all night long against New York, and even without Jaylen Brown (left knee) their offense consistently generated quality looks. After the pairing of James and Joel Embiid led the Sixers to a comeback win over the Indiana Pacers, James teamed up with the player whose presence drew him to Philadelphia to knock off the Knicks.
"I'm having a great time. Great time," James said. "I love what we're bringing to the table every night. I love our competitive spirit. Guys show up to work. Guys are ready to work hard, and it's a fun group, too... These guys are great to be around, and I'm more than happy that I made this decision."
— ✥ (@FunKneeBone) October 30, 2026
James has acknowledged several times that his decision to finish his legendary NBA career with the Sixers would probably not have happened without the immense respect he has gained for Maxey over the years.
James and Maxey make up as synergistic of a duo as any basketball fan can find, but James can fit with just about any player on any team. He needed somebody he could rely on off the court, too, and he entrusted Maxey with the final chapter of his career.
"I can talk about how good he is and how great he will be on the simple fact that he has never been late for a workout," James said. "I think we've worked out for – this is, what, Tyrese’s seventh year with the Sixers? – we worked out for six straight summers, and he's never been late. He actually tried to beat me to a couple workouts, in which he was successful."
Maxey, from the other side of the locker room, made sure reporters knew that he had indeed beaten James to the gym.
"And then I started showing up a lot earlier, and he was like, 'Okay, you've got it,'" James said. "But that's when I knew he was going to be great."
MORE: LeBron uses force, defense locks down, Sixers make another statement vs. Knicks
