Knicks set to defend NBA title against 76ers

Fresh off their first NBA championship in 53 years, the Knicks open their title defense with their core of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns intact. Their continuity and championship chemistry could help them stand out in a league that has produced eight different champions in eight seasons, though questions including Towns’s contract and Hart’s injury remain. LeBron James, who said he would have liked to join New York, instead begins his Philadelphia 76ers tenure at Madison Square Garden on banner-raising night, joining Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown in a star-heavy lineup whose fit is uncertain. The Knicks also face a deep Eastern Conference, with teams such as Boston, Cleveland, Miami and Detroit presenting formidable obstacles. Former NBA player Eddie Johnson doubts New York will even make it out of the East, arguing that a demanding playoff run and tough competition could thwart a repeat.