The New York Knicks have taken a 2-0 series lead over the 76ers, with the action returning to Philadelphia tonight. It has been a tale of two games thus far, as the Knicks produced a blowout win in the series opener, but the 76ers battled back for a competitive loss in Game 2. There is plenty of noise being made about the potential for Knicks’ fans to make the short trip down to Philadelphia and make their presence known, given the typically strong home-court advantage. It is worth paying attention to the injury report as the day continues, with Joel Embiid, Josh Hart, and OG Anunoby each listed as questionable. 

Looking at the Game 3 odds, the 76ers are narrow -1.5-point favorites and hold -122 odds of winning outright on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Knicks hold +102 odds of winning outright, with the game total set at 214.5.

76ers vs. Knicks preview

It has been a strange season for the 76ers. After a disastrous season last in year in which everything that could go wrong did go wrong, they have largely bounced back while still battling adversity. Joel Embiid suited up for just 38 regular-season games, Paul George was suspended for 25 games, and even Tyrese Maxey battled injuries down the stretch of the year. Ultimately, the Sixers finished the season with a 45-37 record and secured the seventh seed by defeating the Orlando Magic in the opening play-in game. Philadelphia earned this matchup with the Knicks by defeating the Celtics in the opening round and becoming the 14th team in NBA history to complete the 3-1 series comeback. The Sixers are 50-42 against the spread this season and 43-49 to the over/under on the year.

Joel Embiid is listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain and hip soreness. The Sixers star made his return for the Celtics’ series 17 days following his emergency appendectomy surgery to play the final four games against Boston. Embiid missed Game 2 of this Knicks series, and his status is up in the air for tonight. Tyrese Maxey is the only other player listed on the injury report and is considered available with his lingering finger injury.

Maxey has stepped up as the leader of the franchise as Embiid’s injuries have been increasingly bothersome. Maxey earned his second career All-Star appearance this season with averages of 28.3 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds while leading the NBA in minutes. V.J Edgecombe has shown to be an ideal backcourt mate, adding 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists across his rookie season. Paul George had his season derailed by a 25-game suspension, but the nine-time All-Star has played the best basketball of his Sixers tenure since returning. He posted averages of 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.2 steals, and shot 41.5% from beyond the three-point arc across this 10-game stretch. Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, Adem Bona, and Quentin Grimes also play key roles in the rotation.

Philadelphia averaged 115.9 points per game across the regular season, which ranks 14th in the NBA. The Sixers also rank 17th in offensive rating, 23rd in field goal percentage, and 23rd in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.1 points per game against the 76ers, which ranks 19th in the league. Nick Nurse’s squad also ranks 16th in defensive rating, 12th in opponent field goal percentage, and 10th in opponent three-point percentage.

The New York Knicks have battled some significant ups and downs this season, but their championship aspirations remain in front of them. After falling short in the Eastern Conference Finals last year, New York elected to fire Tom Thibodeau and replace him with Mike Brown as head coach. The Knicks cruised to a 53-29 regular-season record to finish in third place in the East. On the season, they have gone 49-42 against the spread, and the game total is 42-49 to the over/under.

After missing Game 2 due to illness, Mitchell Robinson is listed as probable for tonight. However, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart are each questionable for the matchup. Anunoby tweaked his hamstring in the final minutes of Game 2, and this is an issue he has battled throughout his career. Hart is dealing with a left thumb sprain and looked to be in some serious pain during the previous game.

Even while the surrounding roster has been upgraded, Jalen Brunson remains the heart of the Knicks’ attack. The Villanova product posted averages of 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds, and has had some of his best moments when the lights have been the brightest. Karl-Anthony Towns provides balance in their attack, adding 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby round out the wing positions, while Josh Hart is the glue of the team. This is the deepest Knicks roster of the Brunson era, with players like Mitchell Robinson, Jordan Clarkson, Miles McBride, and Jose Alvarado each capable of putting their fingerprints on this series.

As a team, the Knicks averaged 116.5 points per game, which ranked 10th in the NBA across the regular season. They also ranked third in offensive rating, 11th in field goal percentage, and fourth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 110.1 points per game against New York, which ranks fifth in the league. Mike Brown’s squad also ranks fifth in opponents’ field goal percentage and 20th in opponents’ three-point percentage.

Game 1 & 2 Takeaways:

The fatigue on this Sixers roster was clear in Game 1, as the Knicks cruised to a blowout 137-98. The Knicks extended the lead to as many as 40 and led for 91% of the match. New York shot an impressive 63% from the floor and 51% from beyond the three-point arc, with the game never in much doubt after the first quarter.

It was a different story in Game 2, as the Sixers pushed the Knicks to the brink before running out of gas to fall short. The final score finished 108-102 in the Knicks’ favor, with the 12 points scored in the fourth quarter ultimately sinking the Sixers. Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, V.J. Edgecombe, and Kelly Oubre Jr. each clocked 40+ minutes, with the lack of depth on the Sixers’ roster clear. Maxey, Edgecombe, and George each rank in the top five in total minutes played across the postseason.

Across the Game 1 matchup, it was clear the Knicks were abusing Embiid in drop coverage. The Sixers star was more limited in his movement than has been the case since he returned from his injury, and the Knicks made it a priority to attack him. The defensive scheme was much different in Game 2 without the big man on the floor. Philadelphia had more success keeping Jalen Brunson in check, but lacked enough offense and energy down the stretch.

76ers vs. Knicks Game 3 prediction, pick

The outlook for Game 3 is significantly tied to the injury outlook, with Embiid being the biggest storyline. But the bigger question should not be if he is on the floor, but rather what level he will be if he plays. Embiid was the difference maker in the Celtics’ series, but looked like a diminished version of himself in the opening matchup of this series. With Brunson’s offensive approach being extremely dependent on hunting switches and attacking mismatches, it is a concern if Embiid cannot move laterally to the necessary level. The Knicks punished his limited mobility in Game 1, and if he cannot move to the level that is the case when he is healthy, this will be a problem once again.

But this Sixers team has proven resilient all season and already in these playoffs. They proved capable of winning a game without Embiid in the previous series, and are 3-2 when he has been on the floor in these playoffs.

The injury concerns to OG Anunoby and Josh Hart are more than just a footnote from the Knicks’ perspective. New York is doing everything possible to downplay the extent of Anunoby’s injury and continue to state he is truly day-to-day. But this doesn’t really match what the track record is for soft tissue injuries, especially with Anunoby having a history of hamstring injuries himself. The former All-Defensive team member has had a stellar season and playoff run, averaging 21.4 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 53.8% on his three-point attempts in the postseason.

While the gas is getting low in the tank of this Sixers team, don’t expect them to roll over just yet. It may not be the level of home court advantage that is typically expected in Philadelphia. But it was a much better effort in Game 2 from the Sixers, and they made some notable matchup adjustments that had positive results. Dominick Barlow was forced into the rotation due to some foul trouble at the big man position, and did a nice job when forced to switch onto Brunson.

Expect the desperation of the 0-2 series deficit to kick in and for the Sixers to throw everything they have in this matchup. It will take a complete team effort, but the potential loss of Anunoby is a big deal. There are some positive takeaways from the Game 2 matchup. Count on them leaning on these again, the team doing a better job staggering their rotation to ensure the stars have energy at the end, and for the 76ers to avoid the treacherous 3-0 series hole with a win at home tonight.

Best Bet: 76ers Moneyline (-122)