Kevin Hart and John Turturro Argue Knicks-76ers Rivalry With Help of Karl-Anthony Towns in New Promo for NBC Sports’ Coverage of 2026 NBA Tip-Off Tripleheader on NBC and Peacock
Promotional spot to debut this Saturday on NBC and run throughout weekend across NBC Sports’ major events, including Sunday Night Football.
October 09, 2026
Global superstar Kevin Hart and Emmy Award-winning actor, writer, and director John Turturro argue about the fierce Knicks-76ers rivalry as Knicks All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns looks on in a new promotional spot for NBC Sports’ coverage of the upcoming NBA Tip-Off tripleheader. The spot will debut on NBC this Saturday, Oct. 10, and run during NBC Sports’ major events of the weekend, including its college football coverage and Sunday Night Football’s Baltimore Ravens-Atlanta Falcons matchup.
The 2026-27 NBA season begins on NBC and Peacock on Tuesday, Oct. 20, with the first-ever American Express NBA Tip-Off tripleheader, highlighted by Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks raising the franchise’s first NBA Championship banner since 1973 before hosting LeBron James and the new-look Philadelphia 76ers from Madison Square Garden in New York City at 7 p.m. ET. Knicks-76ers will be bookended by two marquee matchups in Celtics-Pistons and Thunder-Spurs. This will be the first time that a network has ever broadcast three NBA Tip-Off games.
In the promotional spot from an NBA arena, Turturro, a lifelong Knicks fan and New York City native, dramatically recounts the Knicks’ 2026 run to the franchise’s first NBA championship since 1973 and the excitement for the team’s title defense while sitting in the iconic home of his favorite team. During his passionate narration, Hart, a Philadelphia native and devout 76ers fan, interrupts him. This leads to a fun back-and-forth between the two as they each defend their favorite teams, with both Hart and Turturro trading back verbal blows in a quick and comedic manner.
76ers-Knicks on Oct. 20 will be one of the most highly-anticipated NBA Tip-Off games in recent memory. The Knicks return their championship core of 2026 NBA Finals MVP Brunson, Towns, playoff hero OG Anunoby, and veteran leaders Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges after leading the franchise to its first title in 53 years. New York had a dominant run to the Larry O’Brien Trophy, going a blistering 16-3 throughout the four rounds of the playoffs, including consecutive sweeps over Philadelphia and Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and Finals, respectively, before defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games.
Philadelphia boasts a brand-new lineup featuring James, who chose to sign with the 76ers after eight seasons with the Lakers, and 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, who was traded from Boston to Philadelphia in the offseason. The duo completes a 76ers starting five that also features 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid, 2026 All-NBA Third Team selection Tyrese Maxey, and All-NBA Rookie First Team selection VJ Edgecombe.
Following its debut on Saturday, the spot will run within sports and entertainment programming for the next week across numerous NBCUniversal linear, streaming, and social media platforms.
Kevin Hart has made a name for himself as the hardest-working comedian, entrepreneur, producer, actor, and is a global box office powerhouse. Hart has earned both Emmy and Grammy nominations, and his films have grossed more than $4.23 billion in global revenue. In 2024, Hart received the Kennedy Center’s annual Mark Twain Prize for American Comedy. Hart is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hartbeat, a global multi-platform media company and the Founder of HartBeat Ventures. Hart’s authentic approach to sharing life’s everyday moments with humor and heart has earned him a devoted global audience and social media fanbase, which have translated into loyal customers across his various business ventures. Hart is a founding partner in the premium tequila brand Gran Coramino and the nutritional wellness brand VitaHustle. Hart’s brand partnerships include Qatar Airways, Fabletics, Netflix, NBCUniversal, JPMorganChase, DraftKings, Verizon, SharkNinja and C4 Energy. As a strategic partner with Authentic, he co-owns and manages the Kevin Hart brand and holds an ownership stake in the company.
John Turturro, who stars in the upcoming film The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, in theaters beginning Oct. 23, is a Primetime Emmy Award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated actor, writer, and director whose career spans more than four decades. His acclaimed film credits include Do the Right Thing, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink, for which he won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival, The Truce, The Batman, and Quiz Show, for which he received a Golden Globe and SAG nomination. On television, Turturro won a Primetime Emmy Award for his guest appearance on Monk and received Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award nominations for The Night Of and Severance. Turturro received the Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for Mac, his directorial debut. His other films as writer and director include Illuminata, Romance & Cigarettes, Passione, and Fading Gigolo. A lifelong Knicks fan, Turturro has been a season-ticket holder since 1985.
