Are the Knicks ready for what’s next? New York’s repeat bid begins with nowhere to hide in wide-open NBA

The New York Knicks open their 2026-27 NBA regular season with ring night celebrations at Madison Square Garden before launching their title-repeat bid against the Philadelphia 76ers. Head coach Mike Brown and stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns emphasized the need to move past last season's championship run and prepare for intensified competition across a reloaded Eastern Conference.

While the Knicks lost reserve center Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics in free agency, they retain nine of their top ten postseason minute-earners from last year's squad. The team faces early challenges, including stalled contract extension negotiations for Towns, Josh Hart, and Miles McBride, as well as a grueling opening schedule featuring matchups against Boston, Orlando, and Detroit.