The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New York Knicks 98-93 at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday, October 30, 2026, as group-play action opened for the NBA Cup. Across the league, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors also secured victories to tip off the tournament’s fourth edition.
Philadelphia Survives Late Knicks Push
LeBron James nearly recorded a triple-double with 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists to pace the 76ers through a tense divisional matchup in Philadelphia. The hosts controlled the scoreboard for long stretches, building leads as large as 17 points across the second and third quarters. The New York Knicks, reigning NBA Cup champions from the previous year, struggled to find a consistent rhythm against Philadelphia’s defense before mounting a late charge.
New York briefly moved ahead 90-89 when Jalen Brunson drained a three-pointer with 1:32 remaining on the clock. That advantage vanished immediately when James answered with a mid-range jumper, sparking a 7-1 closing run that secured the victory for the hosts. Mantuvimos la calma. Tuvimos algunas ventajas amplias durante el partido, pero sabíamos que son los campeones y que iban a reaccionar. Supimos resistir sus arreones, hacer algunas jugadas, también en defensa y cerrar el partido,
James told reporters at pitch-side following the final buzzer, noting that the team anticipated a strong response from the defending champions.
Golden State Overcomes Early Deficit Against Los Angeles
In San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors authored a dramatic turnaround against Los Angeles Lakers after falling behind by 25 points in the opening period. The Lakers surged to a 40-15 advantage early in the second quarter, fueled by Luka Doncic, who scored 21 of his game-high 37 points in the first frame. Doncic’s aggressive start followed verbal prodding from Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg during their previous encounter a week prior.
Golden State erased the deficit completely before halftime, knotting the score at 53-53 behind a barrage of perimeter shooting led by Stephen Curry. Curry finished with 31 points as the Warriors overwhelmed the visitors with outside scoring. The Lakers managed only 15 points in both the second and fourth quarters, committing 20 turnovers—eight of which came from Austin Reaves—as Golden State pulled away for a 112-95 win.
Boston Outdistances Chicago at TD Garden
The Boston Celtics cruised to a 125-111 victory over the Chicago Bulls, leaning on a stellar performance from guard Payton Pritchard. Pritchard netted 30 points, scoring 20 of them before halftime to cement his reputation as one of the league’s elite reserves. Jayson Tatum added 26 points for Boston, and teammate Paul George contributed 18.
For Chicago, Caleb Wilson led the scoring effort with 23 points. The defeat marked the fifth loss of the campaign for the Bulls under head coach Tiago Splitter, who continues searching for combinations to stabilize an early 1-5 record.
Around the League in Group Play
Elsewhere on the opening night of the NBA Cup, the Miami Heat rolled to a 145-125 win against the Indiana Pacers, propelled by a triple-double from Giannis Antetokounmpo consisting of 31 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Washington Wizards defeated the Charlotte Hornets 95-79, behind 25 points from Anthony Davis, 21 from Trae Young, and 17 from rookie AJ Dybantsa. In Dallas, the Mavericks edged the Houston Rockets 116-111, handing Houston its first loss of the season behind 35 points from Kyrie Irving and 33 from rookie Cooper Flagg.
Detroit Pistons topped the Brooklyn Nets 110-94, while the Orlando Magic held off the Toronto Raptors 121-116 despite 41 points from Scottie Barnes. Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 127-101, and the Denver Nuggets topped the Phoenix Suns 127-120 on the road.
Upcoming Group Stage Schedule
The NBA Cup group stage continues through November and early December, with the tournament culminating in the championship game scheduled for December 11, 2026, in Indianapolis.
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