In his season opener after joining the 76ers, LeBron James delivered an all-around performance—recording 14 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block—to help his team defeat the Knicks 106–100. In the process, James set an NBA record and achieved a milestone never before seen in his career.
Logging 34 minutes of play, James shot 5-of-13 from the field (including 0-of-3 from three-point range) to finish with 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. This marked the 23rd season opener of his career, surpassing Vince Carter’s 22 appearances to claim the all-time record.
The 76ers trailed by 4 points at halftime before mounting a comeback—a first for James, as he had never previously won a season opener after trailing at the half.
“I can still play better; I’m still finding my rhythm,” James said in a post-game interview. “I’ve only been with this new team for a little over two weeks. I like the way we played today, and I think the whole team performed well, especially on the defensive end. Even though our shooting percentage wasn’t great today, we have plenty of players who can shoot the ball—everyone knows that.”