Shaq won’t call LeBron James a ‘ring chaser’
Shaq tells USAT’s Prince Grimes why he doesn’t believe LeBron James is chasing rings, but rather continuing his legacy to get another championship.
Sports Seriously
The New York Knicks will begin their defense of their NBA championship when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers to open the 2026-27 season on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Madison Square Garden.
The opening night schedule, which was revealed on NBC’s Today show Tuesday, Aug. 11, has a tripleheader featuring NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson and the Knicks, who won their first NBA championship in 53 years with a five-game Finals triumph over the San Antonio Spurs. The game will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
The day begins with the Boston Celtics visiting the Detroit Pistons, tipping off at 3 p.m. ET. Both teams suffered epic flameouts in the playoffs last season. Boston lost in seven games in the first round to the 76ers, and Detroit, as the East’s No. 1 seed, also lost in seven games, but in the second round to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Knicks will hold their championship banner ceremony before tipping off their title defense against the Sixers and new addition LeBron James at 7 p.m. ET. The nightcap will pit the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Spurs in San Antonio.
New York expects to bring back its starting five of Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl Anthony Towns for a chance at back-to-back championships. There have been eight different NBA champions in the last eight seasons, with the Golden State Warriors being the last to repeat in 2017 and 2018.
Philadelphia, which hasn’t won an NBA title since 1983, brings star power that could challenge the Knicks in the Eastern Conference with the acquisition of Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics and the signing of James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, who will turn 42 in December. Tyrese Maxey, who averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists last season, and oft-injured former MVP Joel Embiid provide the 76ers with a top-heavy roster that hopes to compete for a title.
Meanwhile, the Spurs will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in a rematch of the Western Conference Finals, which San Antonio won in a seven-game thriller. Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, winner of the last two NBA Most Valuable Player awards, and Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, highlight this matchup of division winners.
Other highlights of the league’s first week slate of games include stars who were traded in the offseason: two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and LaMelo Ball, who was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Antetokounmpo, who led the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2021 title and was shipped to Miami in a blockbuster trade, will make his Heat debut in their season opener against Ball, Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves on Wednesday, Oct. 21, in a game televised by ESPN. The Lakers and Golden State Warriors renew their Pacific Division pleasantries later that night from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The 76ers’ home debut will come against Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers on Oct. 22, and Oklahoma City will host the Denver Nuggets on the same night.
On Oct. 23, Amazon Prime will feature a doubleheader with the Knicks at the Celtics and the Houston Rockets taking on the Spurs in Austin, Texas.