How Do the New-Look Sixers Compare to the Reigning-Champion New York Knicks?

Let’s not be modest. The Sixers’ addition of LeBron James catapulted them up the Eastern Conference’s food chain.

No longer is Philadelphia in conversations about falling into the play-in tournament amid a logjam of talented teams. Now, many are anticipating a clash between the Sixers and New York Knicks for the East’s throne.

So, who is better?

Starting lineups

The Sixers formed one of the most talented starting fives ever on paper with James, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid. But New York’s unit of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns displayed unparalleled cohesion en route to the Knicks’ first championship since 1972-73.

Let’s go position by position.

Sixers vs. Knicks comparison: pic.twitter.com/t8F50zE5rn
— Jacob Moreno (@jacob_moreno_) July 25, 2026

Point guard: Maxey versus Brunson was a fun fan debate for the early part of the decade, but Brunson has fully separated himself as of late. His playoff translation and shot creation are superior to Maxey’s. This was the player who had 45 points to eliminate the San Antonio Spurs in five, after all. Philadelphia will boast so many offensive engines this season that Maxey being better than Brunson individually is all but out of the cards.

Shooting guard: Hart has grown into one of the NBA’s most elite glue guys, but Edgecombe is more than that. The 2025 third overall pick displayed on-ball skills that are not a part of Hart’s repertoire. Hart has the edge in connective passing, defense and rebounding, but Edgecombe’s shooting and defense should both improve in this new environment. It’s an interesting debate that comes down to if you value a ceiling or floor more.

Small forward: Bridges’ 2025-26 season came with cold spells, but he remained one of the game’s best point-of-attack defenders, which was evident in the playoffs. Yet Brown is the better player, which boils down to offensive creation and how he elevated Boston’s floor last year. The Celtics crafted a brilliant supporting cast around Brown’s strengths en route to 56 wins. You wouldn’t reap the same results with Bridges—ask the Brooklyn Nets.

Power forward: Anunoby rocks. His defensive versatility, athleticism and shooting are traits that teams go crazy for at the wing. But we’re talking about LeBron James. The four-time Most Valuable Player is better in every offensive aspect with the exception of three-point shooting. While incomparable to Anunoby, James is no slouch defensively himself. The adaptability, defensive attention and IQ he brings separate him from New York’s coveted wing.

Center: Until 2024-25, if you asked any fan who is better between Embiid and Towns, the answer would be Embiid without question. Unfortunately, injuries have prevented Embiid from being the MVP-level force he once was, playing 57 games in the last two years. Meanwhile, a healthy Towns has continued to develop and was at the forefront of New York’s postseason success, picking teams apart as an offensive hub. The debate has shifted into Towns’ favor.

Coaching

Comparing Nick Nurse and Mike Brown is a layered discussion, but it’s hard not to give Brown the edge right now. His playoff adjustments were essential in the Knicks’ hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy. He implored Towns to serve as the lead facilitator, which allowed Brunson to move without the ball, trusted his bench, and made effective schemes against the opposing stars.

Rich Paul and Max Kellerman talking about the LeBron decision 🚨:

“This is why i said all that stuff was false, all the speculation. And at the end of the day these guys are just doing their job. It was a layered decision across the board between Philly and golden state and he… pic.twitter.com/3HYGuRg5O7
— JayTakes (@SportsWithJay0) July 24, 2026

Not to say that Nurse hasn’t achieved similar success, because he did, winning the title with the Toronto Raptors in 2018-19. But his Sixers tenure has been criticized for having an offense that can become very stagnant, living and dying by trying to force turnovers, and favoring veteran players. Brown has mostly avoided those struggles as of late.

This debate could be completely different come next June, however.

Depth

People have dismissed Philadelphia as being a team without depth, which is an overblown evaluation. The Sixers have three proven reserves in Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. That’s not even counting Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Ariel Hukporti or Labaron Philon Jr. If even two of them are reliable, Philadelphia suddenly becomes one of the deeper teams in the NBA.

"The Sixers have no bench" pic.twitter.com/OBaEM7xFjC
— Dunkadelphia (@PhillyDunk) July 27, 2026

No, the Knicks’ bench isn’t as formidable as it once was after losing Mitchell Robinson to Boston. But they still have one of the league's stronger reserve units with Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson, Landry Shamet, and Andre Drummond. New York also has project players of its own like Tyler Kolek, Pacôme Dadiet and Mohamed Diawara.

On paper, the Knicks have a better bench than the Sixers as well.

Conclusion

Both of these teams are going to be ridiculously good, but the Sixers aren't definitively better than the Knicks as of July 2026. Philadelphia’s star-studded cast needs to get on the court and develop chemistry before they can be crowned as the conference favorite.

Eight months from now, they might be. For now, though, New York is the reigning champion and should be respected as such.

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