LeBron James rested as 76ers beat champion Knicks 120-97 in preseason opener; Jaylen Brown scores 22

The Philadelphia 76ers opened their preseason with a 120-97 win over the reigning NBA champion New York Knicks on Monday night, but the man most fans wanted to see never left the bench. LeBron James was held out of what would have been his first game in a Sixers jersey, as were Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

The game finished on Tuesday morning Malaysia time. James's first appearance for Philadelphia will now have to wait for a later preseason date.

Why LeBron sat out

The 76ers listed James as out for rest. The 41-year-old, who joined Philadelphia as a free agent over the summer, is heading into his 24th NBA season, and the club has already signalled that it plans to manage his workload carefully, including limiting how often he plays on back-to-back nights.

Reports in the United States say the team's training staff are giving extra attention to an arthritic left foot, and they are also keeping an eye on the back problems that kept him out of the first month of last season.

Embiid and Maxey were also rested, while Anfernee Simons was among the other absentees. With three of their biggest names missing, the Sixers started Jaylen Brown and rookie guard VJ Edgecombe.

Jaylen Brown makes his mark

Brown, the other headline arrival in Philadelphia this off-season, took his chance. He scored a game-high 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting, all of them in the first half, before sitting out the rest of the night. The Sixers led 72-58 at the break and pulled away from there.

Landry Shamet added 10 points off the bench. The one worry for Philadelphia was new centre Ariel Hukporti, a former Knick, who went down in the first quarter after landing awkwardly while defending Karl-Anthony Towns and did not return.

Knicks start slowly

The Knicks, who enter the season as defending champions with their core group intact, struggled badly from long range. New York shot 38 per cent from the field and made just 8 of 41 three-point attempts. OG Anunoby had 12 points in the first half and Jalen Brunson added eight before the break.

The Knicks play the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, US time.

A busy opening week of preseason

The Sixers game was part of a packed start to the preseason. Giannis Antetokounmpo made his Miami Heat debut on Saturday in a 129-105 win over Toronto. On Sunday, the Los Angeles Clippers edged the Golden State Warriors 104-101, with rookie Keaton Wagler, the fifth overall pick, hitting the go-ahead basket and Japan's Rui Hachimura scoring 21 points. The Utah Jazz also beat the Denver Nuggets 109-97.

Monday's slate also featured LaMelo Ball's first outing for the Minnesota Timberwolves alongside Anthony Edwards, and the Los Angeles Lakers' first game of the Luka Doncic era without James.

Key takeaways

• The 76ers beat the champion Knicks 120-97 in their preseason opener.
• LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey were all rested, delaying James's Sixers debut.
• Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 22 points in the first half alone.
• New centre Ariel Hukporti left the game in the first quarter with an injury.

FAQ Did LeBron James play for the 76ers against the Knicks? No. He was rested for the preseason opener, so his first game for Philadelphia will come later in the preseason. What was the score of the 76ers vs Knicks preseason game? Philadelphia won 120-97. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 22 points. Why is Philadelphia managing LeBron's minutes? He is 41 and entering his 24th season. The team has said it plans to limit his workload, including on back-to-backs, and reports say his left foot and back are being monitored.

Sources: NBC Sports Philadelphia, CBS Sports, Associated Press, Yahoo Sports, NBA.com