In less than 24 hours, the New York Knicks will know what their opening week schedule will look like, including who they will play on Christmas Day, both of which will be revealed on Good Morning America on Tuesday. The NBA Cup schedule will be revealed on Wednesday, and then, on Thursday, the full schedule will be revealed. Before we know anything, let's guess at who the team will open the season against.
You might be thinking the Spurs, since that's who the Knicks beat, after all. It would be a thrilling way to kick things off, especially since New York's championship came on the road in San Antonio, but there is a more obvious team that should be at Madison Square Garden on opening night.
The Sixers.
Actually, the new-look Sixers. It'd only be right for LeBron James' first game with Philadelphia to be in New York, and the same goes for Jaylen Brown. The hype about what the Knicks-Sixers matchups will look like is already through the roof, so let's not make the world wait too long.
Not to mention, it'd be satisfying knowing that the Sixers were the team on the other end of banner and ring night, watching the festivities unfold.
NBA should want to see Knicks-Sixers on opening night
Last year, New York opened the season against Cleveland, a scenario that we could be in store for again this year. After all, the Knicks did sweep the Cavaliers in the conference finals, right after they did the same to the Sixers in the second round, but that matchup wouldn't hit nearly the same as Philadelphia would.
The Sixers, who seemed stuck entering the offseason, are in the best position they've been in a long time to make a championship run. To get there, the odds are that they'll have to make it through the Knicks.
The version of Philadelphia that New York could see on opening night probably wouldn't be the one the Knicks would see in the playoffs, as it will take some time for the Sixers to gel, but that wouldn't take too much away from what the matchup would offer. It actually could add to it, that is, as long as Philly is healthy and ready to go, but even then, the point stands.
New York and Philadelphia are already quite familiar with one another, and the past few years have added to that, but there is a whole new layer to the rivalry now after this summer. The NBA needs to capitalize on that as soon as it can without worrying about spoiling anything, as the Knicks and the Sixers will see enough of each other through the regular season as is.
Make it happen.
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