LeBron James and Tyrese Maxey Lead 76ers Past Knicks in NBA Cup Thriller

The Philadelphia 76ers secured a 98-93 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday, powered by Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James. The match marked the opening of the fourth edition of the NBA Cup, the in-season tournament previously won by New York before they claimed their first championship since 1973. Group-stage matches will continue throughout November, with the knockout rounds scheduled for December ahead of the final in Indianapolis.

Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 27 points, establishing an early advantage against the Knicks and building a 14-point margin in the third period. Despite trailing for much of the contest, New York mounted a comeback when Jalen Brunson sank a step-back three-pointer to claim a 90-89 lead with under two minutes remaining. However, 41-year-old LeBron James answered for Philadelphia, putting his team back ahead and cementing the win with a crucial tip-in in the final seconds.

LeBron James and Tyrese Maxey powered the 76ers past the Knicks in a thrilling NBA Cup opener.

James contributed 20 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, a steal, and a notable chase-down block. Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse praised the veteran forward's performance, noting his effective use of size and organization on the floor. Brunson paced the Knicks with 24 points, while teammate Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 12 rebounds as New York's record dropped to early season struggles.

Across the league, other matchups delivered notable outcomes. The Dallas Mavericks erased a deficit to defeat the Houston Rockets 116-111, fueled by 35 points from Kyrie Irving and 33 from Cooper Flagg. In San Francisco, Stephen Curry scored 31 points to push the Golden State Warriors past the Los Angeles Lakers 112-95 after erasing a massive early deficit. Curry also surpassed Dominique Wilkins on the all-time scoring list.

Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a triple-double of 31 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists in the Miami Heat's 145-125 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The Boston Celtics topped the Chicago Bulls 125-111 behind 30 points from Payton Pritchard, and the Orlando Magic fended off a 41-point effort from Scottie Barnes to defeat the Toronto Raptors 121-114.

Why it matters

The opening games of the NBA Cup regular-season phase reshape standings and set the competitive tone for early winter play, directly impacting playoff positioning and tournament brackets across the league.