Monday night marks the start of a new (pre)season for the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers.
The defending champions are going to pay a visit to the Sixers in South Philly for some meaningless action.
It might be a warm-up, which certainly takes away some excitement from the game, but make no mistake, the Sixers and the Knicks are going to be two heated rivals in 2025-2026.
Heading into the preseason, the Knicks were tabbed as the league’s top starting five on paper by CBS Sports, despite the loaded offseason the 76ers just had.
Knicks Outshine New-Look Sixers On NBA List Before Preseason Opener
With a projected starting five of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns, it’s easy to see why the Knicks have the No. 1 spot. They went through free agency without any losses to the lineup.
While Mitchell Robinson was a notable loss, he was sure to continue his role as a backup big man in New York. Instead, he’ll go on to start with the Boston Celtics.
“When you deliver a team’s first championship in 53 years, you deserve the top spot until someone knocks you off the perch,” CBS Sports’ John Gonzalez wrote. That’s a direct challenge to the 76ers, who want to end their drought.
Where The Sixers Stand
Heading into Monday’s preseason action, the 76ers are at No. 4, with a projected starting lineup of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid.
“As starting lineups go, this one is as stacked as any in the league. On paper. Unlike the rest of the teams on this list, who are mostly returning the same starting fives as last season, the Sixers are pure speculation at this point,” Gonzalez.
The questions about this lineup are all valid. How does it mesh when there are so many dominant players in the mix? Will the injury bug continue to bite the 76ers frequently enough to prevent them from forming valuable chemistry?
Plenty of teams have gone through “super team” phases over the years. Very few make it out as champs.
Monday night’s preseason action offers a glimspe at what two Eastern Conference contenders will look like, but that small sample size won’t mean anything until the games mean something.