Josh Hart Has Epic Reaction to Facing 76ers on Opening Night After Recent ‘Not a Sports Town’ Criticism

Josh Hart did not appear surprised that the NBA chose the Philadelphia 76ers to face the New York Knicks on opening night.

Josh Hart Has Epic Reaction to Facing 76ers on Opening Night After Recent ‘Not a Sports Town’ Criticism

Josh Hart (Image credits - NBC Sports)

Josh Hart and the New York Knicks kick off their title defense and the 2026-27 campaign against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 20 at Madison Square Garden. The 76ers will be eager to gain some revenge after getting clean swept in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season.

It is going to be a historic and emotional night for the Knicks and their fans after they won the championship last season. It was their third-ever title and their first since 1973.

The Knicks will be receiving their championship rings during the ring ceremony on opening night. They will also raise their first banner in 53 years.

NBA insider Shams Charania announced the Opening Night matchup on Tuesday, and the Knicks-Sixers clash caught everyone’s eye. However, Hart was left unsurprised by the fixture and reposted Charania’s post with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

Can’t lie. I’m extremely shocked this is the slate.

Josh Hart on X

Josh Hart and the Knicks are coming off a historic championship run. The forward played an instrumental role during their championship run.

After going 2-1 down in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks, the Knicks went on a 13-match winning streak. The win streak included the clean sweep over the 76ers in the second round. Hence, there will be a lot on the line when the two sides clash on opening night.

After clean-sweeping the 76ers, Hart took a jibe at their fanbase by claiming Philly is “not a sports town anymore”. During the playoff series between the two sides, Knicks fans took over the Xfinity Mobile Arena despite Joel Embiid‘s plea to the fans not to sell their tickets. Hart’s comments did not go down well among the 76ers fans, and they will be looking for some revenge.

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Josh Hart and the Knicks will take on a new-look 76ers

Many expected that the NBA would schedule a matchup between the Knicks and 76ers at the MSG on opening night after the summer the 76ers just had. The 76ers made some big moves in the offseason and are seen as the strongest contenders to challenge the defending champions in the East next season.

Josh Hart shooting a three-pointer against the 76ers in the playoffs last season
Josh Hart shooting a three-pointer against the 76ers in the playoffs last season (Image credits – The Philadelphia Inquirer)

After a disappointing end to their 2025-26 campaign, the 76ers will be heading into next season with a new-look squad. With Embiid and Tyrese Maxey still on the team, they made two valuable additions to their roster.

In what was one of the most surprising moves of the offseason, they traded for Jaylen Brown in exchange for Paul George and a few picks from the Boston Celtics. But the biggest move of the summer came a few weeks ago when they signed LeBron James in free agency.

Therefore, when the Knicks take on the 76ers on October 20, they will be facing a very different team from what they faced last season. The opening night clash may also serve as a preview for what is to come in the Eastern Conference Finals next year.

Josh Hart brags about New York’s stacked celebrity row guest list

The Knicks are well known for having one of the, if not the, most passionate fanbases in the NBA. Not only are they a very loud crowd, they even take over opposing teams’ arenas. To add to it, the front row at MSG is usually filled by popular figures and celebrities who are passionate about the franchise.

On his X account, Hart responded to a leaked photo of the Knicks’ guest list for Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. He wrote:

No other place in the NBA can have a list like this. They are actual fans and celebrate like it.

Josh Hart on X

Several celebrities are expected to be present for the opening night at MSG a little over two months from now. The big names who will most likely be at the game are Timothee Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Spike Lee and Tracy Morgan.

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