The New York Knicks celebrated their championship with a banner night on Tuesday, then lost 106-100 to the Philadelphia 76ers in their season opener at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks wore white uniforms with gold trim for the occasion, and NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson added gold sneakers. Hall of Famer Walt Frazier presented the players with their championship rings. The team then watched the blue banner reading “2025-26 World Champions” rise to the rafters.
“Really special. Happy we got it out of the way and we can move on for now, but it was a really cool thing,” Brunson said after the game.
A night of cheers, and a nod to Anunoby’s tip-in
The NBA championship banner kept rising high above everyone on the court, just like OG Anunoby did the last time the Knicks played a meaningful game at Madison Square Garden. Just like that night four months ago, it felt as if fans would never stop cheering.
Outside of their preseason exhibition games, Tuesday was the first time the Knicks had played at home since Game 4 of the NBA Finals. In that game, Anunoby’s tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining capped a record-setting comeback from a 29-point deficit. The highlight of that play, shown in a montage on the overhead videoboard, set off some of the loudest roars of the night.
Brunson began his remarks to fans by referencing that game and thanking them for not leaving the arena early.
The Knicks finished off the San Antonio Spurs in the next game. That win set off “Knicks in 5! Knicks in 5!” chants around New York, and the chants resumed Tuesday night.
Brunson looks ahead
Brunson told fans the Knicks were seeking to turn the page after the team’s first championship since 1973.
“But one thing I would like to say,” he added. “The joy that this city had this summer, we would love to replicate that again.”
Brunson had talked about trying to move on from last season since the Knicks arrived at training camp. He acknowledged on Tuesday night how difficult that was until after they had one last celebration.
“You have everyone praising guys, praising us about what we’ve done a couple months ago,” he said. “And it’s just human nature and it’s difficult, but just to hold each other accountable we’ve been trying to do that, just to make sure that we’re on the same page and trying to get better.
“Obviously we’re very thankful for what we did, but there’s still a lot left for us to prove.”
Two banners at the Garden
Before raising the title banner, the NBA champions hung one at Madison Square Garden to celebrate the NBA Cup title they won last season.
The Knicks broke with tradition last December when they became the first team to win the in-season tournament and then not commemorate it with a banner. They said at the time they were looking ahead to bigger things.
They ended up getting the biggest thing possible in the rematch with the Spurs. The Knicks also defeated San Antonio in the NBA Cup final.
The NBA Cup banner went up sometime after the Sixers held their morning shootaround at the arena. Sixers coach Mike Brown said before the game that it was a recognition of the Knicks’ journey last season.
“There were a lot of, obviously, ups and downs throughout the course of the year, and our guys rallied and figured out a way to win the NBA Cup,” Brown said, “and then you go ahead and win the regular season final, or excuse me, the end of season final, and it’s just a recognition to not just to our guys, but to the fans out there.”
The two banners were the first the Knicks had hung at Madison Square Garden since they won the Atlantic Division title in 2012-13.
Hart: “We’re the worst team in the NBA”
Things move quickly in New York, though. After struggling through their opener, the Knicks know there is work ahead to stay at the top.
“Like, we shouldn’t sit there and think that we’re champions, because we’re not,” forward Josh Hart said. “Right now we’re 0-1. We’re the worst team in the NBA, as of right now.”