NEW YORK – Consider the Sixers' statement made.

In the Sixers debuts of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, both newcomers teamed with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe to take down the defending champions on the night a championship banner rose to the top of Madison Square Garden.

After an odd first half in which the Sixers underwhelmed offensively and outperformed expectations by a long shot defensively, the new-look group was able to band together and soundly outperform the New York Knicks on both ends of the floor. While the Sixers downplayed the importance of any one game coming into Tuesday's season opener, their wire-to-wire outclassing of the Knicks in the second half – including a terrific two-way closing effort – was as impressive of an accomplishment as this group could muster in its opening act.

The 2026-27 Sixers are 1-0. Takeaways from the first of 82, a 106-100 victory:

Sixers pass first crunch-time test

Lingering above all of the minutiae of how the Sixers would construct a game-plan around their new star-laden roster: how would they respond to crunch time? As all games between these teams seem to do, this one went right down to the wire.

A New York triple cut the Sixers' lead to one point with four minutes and 37 seconds remaining, and the chess match began. With Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the game for a resting James, the veteran swingman missed an open three after knocking down two big ones earlier in the frame. Embiid then buried a wing triple, forcing a Knicks timeout which prompted James' return.

The Sixers got one of many stops against Jalen Brunson, then Embiid made a strong pass to Edgecombe for a foul. After Edgecombe split the free throws, New York hit a three and Embiid found Edgecombe on the exact same play, this time for an easy two. Maxey, whose defensive performance was outstanding on Tuesday, notched his signature pick-six, throwing down a slam to put the Sixers back up by six points and force another Knicks timeout.

A miscommunication left Mikal Bridges open going to the basket, but James rotated from the weak side to alter his layup and force a miss. Brown turned the ball over losing his handle and Brunson scored to force a final-minute timeout. A horrid Sixers possession resulted in an Embiid heave, but the ensuing Knicks stop – punctuated by a defensive rebound from James – sealed the deal.

There it was: a two-way clinic from the Sixers, on the court of the defending champions.

LeBron James makes his Sixers debut

James largely felt his way into his Sixers debut; he was not nearly as assertive playing with the ball in his hands on Tuesday as he was in the preseason, for example. It took until the third quarter for him to really find a groove. That run started with a transition-igniting hit-ahead pass to Maxey for a layup, then came a string of buckets to find his footing.

Even for one of the game's most brilliant minds, this is going to be a process for James as he tries to find his optimal role on a team unlike any other he has been on. He is a table-setter and a facilitator, but he is not exactly a point guard. He may rarely bring the ball up for the Sixers, but there will not be many possessions that go by without him touching the ball.

It was notable that multiple times, James found himself spotting up for threes – perhaps the one method of scoring he does not have plenty of experience with during his NBA career. He missed those looks – plus some free throws – but has developed his shot over the years and is passable on those looks. The Sixers will be closer to their best if James shoots well enough to force hard closeouts, then opening up lanes to attack off the dribble. The more James is driving downhill, the better for the Sixers.

All in all, James' Sixers debut was what one would expect. His scoring came and went, and he provided healthy doses of playmaking and rebounding while kickstarting transition offense.

Jaylen Brown makes his Sixers debut

Brown's first basket as a member of the Sixers was also James' first assist in his new uniform – he sealed off a defender inside and James put it right on him – but that was about the extent of his offense within the Sixers' starting lineup in the first half.

It was a continuation of a trend that developed during the preseason: when the Sixers have all five of their ball-dominant starters on the court, Brown is taking a back seat offensively. His aggression ratchets up significantly upon returning from his first rest. Unlike in the preseason, when Nurse's substitution patterns seemed to hint at Brown and Edgecombe being running mates, Brown ended up sharing his second stint with Maxey; they were the first two starters to rest.

Paul George played a ton of power forward a season ago, and when the Sixers are healthy his replacement does not need to do that as much. But with Dean Wade and Dominick Barlow sidelined, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse took full advantage of Brown's muscle and willingness to battle. Brown played a decent bit of the four, oftentimes alongside three guards. That part of the look is not one the Sixers will always be able to get away with – New York specifically works many three-guard lineups into its rotation – but Brown sliding up to the four will always be an option.

It has to be a jarring transition for Brown, whose sixth-place MVP finish a year ago came because he had the ultimate green light to hunt his own shots. Now, he is the fourth option within his own starting five. The concerns will linger all season: Brown must find ways to impact winning beyond scoring. He will still get plenty of chances to do that – whether it comes in staggered lineups or on nights Embiid or James sits – but his value can no longer be so wrapped up in putting the ball in the basket.

One strong sequence for Brown, never known as a playmaker: back-to-back assists to James for third-quarter baskets off turnovers. One of those came via alley-oop:

The third quarter was when Brown got going a bit more. His ability to serve as a play finisher – one attacking the rim with real power – stood out. The more the Sixers can get Brown the ball when he is already on the move, the better, especially given his loose handle. Playing in crowds is not Brown's specialty whatsoever, but he can be lethal on plays like this:

Brown capped off the Sixers' terrific third quarter with a hell of a shot after an unforced Knicks error gave the Sixers an extra possession. Everybody wearing blue was excited about the highlight of Brown's night:

Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are still here, too

For all of the talk about the Sixers' newcomers, they scored six points in the first 60 seconds of the game and they all belonged to Maxey. He kickstarted the game with a triple in the half-court, then pulled up for another one in transition. After a few days of discussing the importance of quieting the loud noise, that was a helpful tone-setter from Maxey. But he was steady all night long, the primary beneficiary of an offensive attack which got better as the night went on. 

Embiid's first stint was not as bad as it looked; his 1-for-5 shooting line was a bit deceptive. He did not shine, but he generated good looks for himself and only had one regrettable turnover.

In a general sense, Embiid played assertively and decisively; when he does that the results always follow eventually. On Tuesday, they came in spurts.

Embiid found a better rhythm in the second quarter, helping out as both as a scorer inside and outside the arc and as a passer. Embiid predictably got and kept Karl-Anthony Towns in foul trouble, but the Sixers did not do a nearly good enough job of taking advantage against old friend Andre Drummond, whose Knicks debut was outstanding. Late in the second quarter, Embiid made a slew of bad mistakes. He picked up his fourth turnover and third foul in a 10-second span, which forced Nurse to close the half with James at center.

Edgecombe's most important job in this matchup: defending Brunson. Nobody can shut down the reigning NBA Finals MVP, but Edgecombe turned in a few noticeably strong showings against New York's superstar guard as a rookie. He largely excelled on Tuesday, too, and it went a long way in what was a surprisingly acceptable defensive performance from the Sixers.

It would have been perfectly understandable, even if not enjoyable to watch, had the Sixers looked bad on that end of the floor. They had suboptimal defensive personnel, no developed chemistry and a high-powered opponent. But, even as their offense looked frustratingly basic and buffered, they held their own on defense – at least through shot attempts. Drummond and the Knicks pummeled the Sixers on the offensive glass, but when the Sixers were able to grab a defensive rebound their defensive preparation looked strong.

After a decent half of defense guarding the Knicks straight-up – namely, Embiid defending Towns – Nurse opted to invert the matchups to start the second half, with James defending Towns and Embiid roaming as Josh Hart's defender. Embiid continued to move well. And, truth be told, no development is more meaningful when it comes to this team's chances of winning than Embiid staging a defensive resurgence.

Odds and ends

Some additional notes:

• The Sixers had three key reserves listed as questionable coming into Tuesday's game; Anfernee Simons and Adem Bona ended up playing while Wade sat. Bona was Nurse's first choice at backup center, but a rough stint against Drummond triggered a Jabari Walker appearance behind Embiid. Drummond, remarkably, posted a double-double within 10 minutes of checking into the game. It was a sign of things to come for the Sixers, whose lack of force on the glass is a significant weakness. It also prompted a capacity crowd at Madison Square Garden to chant Drummond's name.

• Simons knocked down three triples in a short span of the third quarter to help the Sixers thwart a New York run and stage one of their own. It was an enormous lift, and the sort of jolt the Sixers are hoping to get from the veteran sharpshooter on a regular basis. Simons has been one of the best long-range marksmen in the NBA despite taking enormously difficult shots; now he gets much healthier looks. 

• Nurse ran with a rotation of 8.5 players; Simons, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bona were his primary reserves with Walker briefly mixed in once. That left out rookie guard Labaron Philon Jr. and third-year wing Justin Edwards. Edwards not playing on a night Wade is among multiple frontcourt absences does not bode too well for his current place within the pecking order.

Up next: The Sixers will be back in action for their home opener on Thursday night, when they play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers.