Sixers Host Defending Champion Knicks as NBA Cup Group Play Tips Off in Philadelphia

The Philadelphia 76ers open NBA Cup play on Friday night against the defending champion New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena, with tip-off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video. Philadelphia are 4-1 and New York 2-3, and the stakes go beyond the Cup: the Sixers beat the Knicks 106-100 at Madison Square Garden on October 20, the night New York raised its championship banner, and a second win would guarantee Philadelphia no worse than a tied season series, with the final two meetings not coming until a two-week stretch in February. The Cup adds further pressure, with Philadelphia's group also containing Cleveland, Indiana and Miami and little margin for error. New York also swept the 76ers in the playoffs, giving Friday extra weight. On the injury front, Philadelphia list Jaylen Brown as questionable with knee soreness, while Joel Embiid is not listed on the injury report. For New York, Jose Alvarado is a game-time decision. The Knicks have steadied after a rough 0-3 start, winning two straight, most recently 133-127 in Chicago on Wednesday, while the Sixers have made a strong start to the season. Friday is the first Cup night of the 2026 NBA Cup, with all 10 games across the league counting as group play and in the regular-season standings.