Knicks look to defend championship title as season begins with MSG banner-raising ceremony

The New York Knicks will mark their season opener as NBA champions Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden with a banner-raising ceremony.

The banner will be raised to the rafters before tipoff at 7 p.m., after the team spent the summer celebrating.

The historic playoff run led the Knicks to win their first championship in 53 years against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the finals. 

This season, Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are looking to build on the chemistry that got them the trophy. 

But first, they have to get through Philadelphia.

The Knicks swept the 76ers out of the playoffs in June. Tonight, they will look for another win against the team that added LeBron James to the picture.

The 76ers beat the Knicks by 23 in the preseason with a score of 120 to 97. They did it without some key players, including James, who is making his debut.

"Wherever Bron went out on the East, I figured that would probably be our opening night," Hart said. "Getting the ring, hanging the banner, that would be dope, but also excited to kind of move on from it." 

Hart knows the banner is about last season, and the Knicks have to show they can do it again.

Demand is high for the Tuesday game between the banner-raising, opening night at the Garden and the star power on the other team. 

Tickets are averaging more than $1,000 per seat as of Tuesday morning.