The Knicks celebrated their NBA championship Tuesday with a banner night at Madison Square Garden, hosting the Philadelphia 76ers in their season opener. Wearing white uniforms with gold trim, the team received their championship rings from Hall of Famer Walt Frazier before the blue banner reading "2025-26 World Champions" rose to the rafters.
It was the Knicks' first home game since Game 4 of the NBA Finals, when OG Anunoby's tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining capped a record-setting comeback from a 29-point deficit. The highlight of a montage on the overhead videoboard set off some of the loudest roars of the night. Jalen Brunson thanked fans for not leaving the arena early and said the Knicks hoped to replicate the joy the city felt over the summer.
Before raising the title banner, the team hung one to celebrate the NBA Cup title it won last season. The Knicks had broken with tradition in December by not commemorating their in-season tournament win with a banner, saying they were looking ahead to bigger things. They defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup final, and the Spurs were the team they beat again to win the championship.
Coach Mike Brown said the Cup banner was a recognition of the ups and downs of the team's journey, and of the fans who stood with them. The two banners were the first the Knicks had hung at Madison Square Garden since they won the Atlantic Division title in 2012-13.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing