What happened: Philadelphia and New York played the fourth quarter of the Oct. 21 opener. Embiid logged his third block protecting the rim. Maxey reached 24 points by converting the and-1 going the other way.

Why it matters: Early fourth-quarter stops and conversions carry weight on opening night with rotations still settling. The sequence paired Philadelphia's rim protection with its lead perimeter scoring.

What to watch: Closing minutes will decide the opener and clarify late-game assignments for both sides.