Jalen Brunson said the New York Knicks must move on from its championship celebrations and improve after opening the 2026-27 NBA season with a 106-100 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.
Brunson scored 21 points but shot 6-for-19 from the field as Philadelphia spoiled the Knicks’ banner-raising night at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks had celebrated their first NBA championship since 1973 before falling to a 76ers team featuring newcomers LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.
Brunson described the pregame ceremony as meaningful but said he was ready to turn his attention to the new season.
“Very,” Brunson said when asked about addressing the fans. “Just the support they’ve shown this team, myself, my family, these past four years going into five. Just to celebrate that was really cool. But ready to turn the page.”
He acknowledged that playing immediately after the emotional ceremony made for an unusual opening night, but he would not use it to explain the defeat.
“We can make all the excuses in the world about all that stuff, but I mean, I wouldn’t,” Brunson said. “I’m just happy we can move forward now.”
The Knicks struggled to find their rhythm against Philadelphia, shooting 37% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range. Brunson said the 76ers made life difficult for New York and emphasized that the team’s problems extended beyond his own shooting.
“They’re really good, and they made things difficult for us,” Brunson said. “Obviously shots for me weren’t falling. For most of us, they weren’t falling. We got a lot of good looks.”
Asked how New York could avoid looking as if it was “stuck in the mud,” as head coach Mike Brown described the offense, Brunson kept his answer simple.
“Just be ready to go. Nothing else to that,” he said. “I just think that we were a step slow today. Plain and simple.”
Brunson also stressed that the Knicks cannot become complacent after winning the championship. The team must hold one another accountable and continue improving rather than rely on last season’s success.
“Obviously, we’re very thankful for what we did,” he said. “But there’s still a lot left for us to prove.”
Brunson believes the opening loss could help reset expectations as the Knicks begin their title defense.
“Whatever happens these first couple of weeks of the season, that’s going to show who we truly are,” he said.
New York visits the Boston Celtics on Friday as it looks to respond to its opening-night defeat.
