The banner finally goes up this fall. New York gets to call itself champion for the first time in over fifty years, and that title comes with a season opener circled for October 20 at the Garden.
There is history tied to that first tip of a new season, and it belongs only to teams that have already climbed to the very top the year before.
How the Knicks’ Title Defenses Have Opened Before
GettyKnicks Face Tough Opening Night Test With Rare Record Within Reach
New York’s only two championships before this year came in 1970 and 1973. Both times, the Knicks opened the following season with a win. The 1970-71 opener saw them beat the Boston Celtics 114-107 at the Garden. Three years later, the 1973-74 opener brought a tighter 101-100 win over the Detroit Pistons.
That gives the franchise a perfect record on opening night after winning it all, two for two across more than five decades. No Knicks team has ever taken the floor as defending champion and lost that very first game.
Now a third chance sits in front of them. The Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win the 2026 NBA Finals, their first title since 1973. Jalen Brunson took home Finals MVP honors after leading New York through the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sweep during the Eastern Conference Finals.
The 2026-27 season opens on October 20 at Madison Square Garden, and the schedule makers did not go easy on them. LeBron James and Jaylen Brown will suit up for the Philadelphia 76ers in their first game with the franchise, making it the debut match for both stars in Sixers colors.
Brunson already sounds aware of what is coming. Speaking on NBC’s Today Show about the 76ers roster overhaul, he did not undersell the challenge ahead.
“They’re going to be electric. They’re going to be definitely a team to keep your eye on. They reloaded this year. It’s going to be a tough test, but we’ll be ready.”
Before any of that basketball happens, the Garden will pause for its own celebration. Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and the rest of Mike Brown’s roster will receive their championship rings and watch New York’s first title banner in over fifty years rise to the rafters.
What Is On The Line This Time Around
GettyKnicks Face Tough Test to Keep Rare Post-Championship Streak Alive
A win over Philadelphia would push the Knicks to three straight opening night victories following a championship, stretching a streak that already spans three different decades. A loss would break new ground too, just not the kind anyone at the Garden wants to see first.
The schedule does not slow down after opening night either. New York heads to Boston on October 23 to face Jayson Tatum and the Celtics.
Ticket prices for the opener already reflect the moment. The cheapest available seat on SeatGeek sat above $2000 as of this week, a sign of how much interest surrounds a banner raising this rare for this franchise.
History sits quietly on New York’s side heading into October. The Knicks have never lost the first game after winning a championship, and Brunson’s group gets the chance to make it three straight when the 76ers walk into the Garden.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Knicks Face Tough Opening Challenge With Rare Championship Record at Stake appeared first on HEAVY.