76ers Beat Knicks 106-100 in LeBron James’s Debut

The Philadelphia 76ers beat the New York Knicks 106-100 in LeBron James’s Philadelphia debut on October 20, spoiling the Knicks’ championship-night home opener after a pregame banner ceremony and a hostile reception for the veteran forward. The Knicks raised their championship banner before the game at Madison Square Garden, celebrating a title that ended a 53-year drought. Fans later booed James and chanted at him while he was at the free-throw line. James, 41, finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, according to game reports. A fan-recorded video showed James responding to a nearby spectator during the game. In the clip, he says he is from Ohio, not the West Coast. The footage described in reports does not make clear what the fan said immediately beforehand, so the exchange’s prompt is not established. The crowd’s reaction followed discussion of James’s free-agency decision. James had said New York would have been his preferred destination if the Knicks had not won the championship. He also described having envisioned playing at Madison Square Garden, but said the team’s title changed his thinking. James ultimately joined Philadelphia on a multiyear deal,...