NEW YORK (AP) — The first basket of LeBron James' career with the Philadelphia 76ers was a simple one. He took a feed from Joel Embiid in the paint and went up strong for an uncontested right-handed layup.
Just two points. Just one bucket of what the Sixers expect to be many, many more over the next two seasons as James opened his record 24th NBA season on a milestone night in New York.
Embiid appeared to wonder during the national anthem where the Knicks'
championship banner was hanging in the rafters as James sat nearby on the bench with his head bowed and hands clasped.
The banner was indeed raised in a pregame ceremony at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
It's the same kind of celebration the 76ers expect James, Embiid and the rest of a stout starting lineup to deliver on opening night next season.
There was a plausible scenario under which James would open this season at the Garden — only in a Knicks uniform.
His agent, Rich Paul, said over the summer the Knicks would have been James' first choice in free agency had New York not won its first NBA championship since 1973 last season.
It's the thrill of the chase, to end a championship drought — much like he did in Cleveland — that in part drives James to keep playing after racking up a list of accomplishments unrivaled by his peers. That's one reason he opened the season wearing No. 23 for the Sixers.
Knicks fans didn’t seem to care James was playing for Philly. They erupted with chants of “We don’t want you!” when he went to the free-throw line in the second quarter.
While the spotlight was on the Knicks during the banner-raising, all eyes were on James once the ball tipped.
The 76ers got a first look at the potent lineup they put together this summer in hopes of winning their first title since 1983. James and a fellow All-Star in Jaylen Brown started alongside holdovers Embiid, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
There are some question about how that All-Star starting four plus Edgecombe will coexist when all have been the primary ballhandlers on their respective teams in the past. Who gets the ball in crunch time? Who has to sacrifice the most? Who has the most to gain?
Watching the answers unfold in real time will be fascinating for the Sixers and their fans.
“We're just getting together,” James said after the Sixers' preseason finale. “It's not going to be perfect. We've got some things to build on.”
The chemistry looked strong early. James hit Brown cutting to the basket to earn the assist on the former Celtics star's first points with the Sixers.
The offseason all the way through the countdown to the Sixers' home opener Thursday against Cleveland has been a swirl of excitement in Philadelphia. James jerseys are flying off the racks. Murals of him have popped up all over the city. He drew more than 10,000 fans to a public scrimmage and preseason games were sold out. There's a fascination with his helicopter rides from the Sixers' facility in New Jersey to New York.
Even his younger teammates admitted to being a bit awestruck when they first met James.
James is already the NBA’s career scoring leader. The leader in games, minutes, field goals and field goals attempted, too.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse said ahead of the game he reached out to some of James' former NBA coaches to get a feel for what to expect about coaching the four-time MVP.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of amazing laundry list of things that you're going to say,” Nurse said. “'You’re going to really like coaching him,' and that is the case.”
James stayed in the locker room with the Sixers while Jalen Brunson and the rest of the Knicks received their championship rings and watched the banner being raised to the rafters.
There's not much left for James to accomplish, except win that fifth ring.
Philadelphia is waiting.
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