Brunson's Knicks don't own Philly yet, but the Sixers' hype is on notice

Can a team "own" a building after losing the last game it played against that opponent? That's the awkward question hanging over Friday's NBA Cup opener in Philadelphia, where the narrative says Jalen Brunson's Knicks run the show and the Oct. 20 scoreboard says otherwise.

Here is what we know. The 76ers (4-1) beat the defending champion Knicks 106-100 on ring night at Madison Square Garden, according to CBS Sports, with Tyrese Maxey scoring 28 and New York shooting 37.2%. Since then the Knicks (2-3) have climbed back from an 0-3 start, with Brunson scoring 38 in a 133-127 comeback at Chicago after trailing by 19. They're now 3.5-point favorites on the road, per the same report.

The Brunson legend is built on January nights and playoff sweeps, not October

The "King of Philadelphia" label is real. ClutchPoints noted that Brunson was crowned after the Knicks swept the Sixers in the playoffs. Add a 38-point night against Philadelphia in a 125-119 win in January 2025, and the pattern is easy to see: when the stakes rise, Brunson seems to find another gear.

But a legacy is not a lead. In the opener, the New York Post's Malik Smith put the difference down to Brunson missing shots he normally makes. That's a bad shooting night, not a changing of the guard. We think that's the honest reading: the Knicks haven't lost their grip on this matchup, they've simply been reminded it needs to be re-earned every night. Playoff dominance buys you respect, not regular-season wins.

The Knicks' rust is the real story, and it's fading

The more interesting thing about New York is how it's winning. Smith describes a team that didn't play much together in the offseason: passes sailing into the third row, shaky screens, defensive lapses. Yet it can flip the switch, as it did when it outscored Chicago by 25 over the final stretch after trailing by 19.

That's a champion's problem. Rust shows up in the details, while the talent shows up when the game is close. A team that can do that, and that has now won back to back over Chicago and Detroit, is probably more dangerous than its 2-3 record suggests. We'd also note one caution: New York is without Jose Alvarado, and SportsLine's David Bearman points out the Knicks rank 26th in pace and 29th in points per drive. That's not a juggernaut profile. In our view, it's a team winning on star power.

The Sixers must prove 4-1 isn't a mirage

Philadelphia has the best record in the East, according to CBS, with Joel Embiid healthy and productive. The defense is the reason: Bearman calls it the third-best in the league. That's a legitimate foundation.

The offense is the question. The Post notes the Sixers rank 27th offensively through five games, and their offensive identity "isn't fully formed yet." A team that wins ugly early can look like a contender, but the picture changes when opponents have film. The Post says the Knicks now have a better idea of how to attack them, and Maxey, who torched them in the opener, will surely see their full attention. CBS also lists Jaylen Brown (knee) as doubtful, which, if he sits, would make scoring harder still.

So is the Sixers' hype real? We think it's partly earned and partly a product of a soft early read. Beating the champions once, on their ring night, is a great story. Beating them twice, at home, with the Knicks finding their rhythm, would be evidence.

Our verdict: lean Knicks, but Friday settles more than a spread

We lean toward New York in a tight game because Brunson's form seems to have returned, the defending champions are shaking off rust, and Philadelphia's offense still has to show it can score against a prepared opponent. That's an opinion, not a certainty, and the Post notes that some books treat the game as a pick'em.

What matters more is what Friday settles. If Philadelphia wins, the "Brunson owns Philly" line should retire for the regular season and the Sixers become a real problem in the East. If New York wins, the hierarchy is restored, and 4-1 starts to look like a good defense wrapped around an unfinished offense.