LeBron James' late fadeaway and tip-in lift Sixers past Knicks 98-93

LeBron James, 41, finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and he made the two biggest plays of the night in the Sixers' 98-93 win over the Knicks on Friday, Oct. 30, in Philadelphia, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. It was Philadelphia's first NBA Cup game of the season.

The final two minutes

The Knicks had the lead late. Jalen Brunson put New York ahead with under two minutes to play, per NBA.com's Sixers coverage. Philadelphia then closed the game on a 9-3 run.

James drove much of that stretch. With 1:10 left and the Sixers down one, he hit a fadeaway jumper, per NBA.com. Then, with 11.9 seconds left, he tipped in a missed Maxey layup.

He also finished with a block and a steal. He was two assists and one rebound short of a triple-double.

Nurse's verdict

Coach Nick Nurse told reporters this was James' best game with the Sixers, according to the Inquirer. That is a notable claim given how the season began.

Why the opponent matters

New York is the in-season tournament's reigning champion, per NBA.com. The Knicks also won the 2025-26 title and raised their first championship banner since 1973 on opening night, according to Yahoo Sports.

That opening night did not go the way New York planned. The Sixers won 106-100 at Madison Square Garden, spoiling the ring and banner ceremony, according to CBS Sports. It was James' Sixers debut, and he had 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in 34 minutes.

Where it leaves both teams

Two wins over the Knicks early in the season, both with James making the decisive plays, give the Sixers an early argument that the move to Philadelphia is working.