The Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks will be facing off in the opening matchup of the NBA second round. Philadelphia is just two days removed from a thrilling Game 7 victory over the Boston Celtics, while New York largely coasted past the Atlanta Hawks with three straight comfortable wins after dropping two of the first three.

These teams split their regular-season matchups 2-2, and tonight’s game will take place in Madison Square Garden. There are also still some scars built up from the 2023-24 postseason series between these two teams, in which the Knicks won in six games. 

Looking at the odds for the series opener, the Knicks are 7.5-point favorites and hold -290 odds of winning outright on DraftKings Sportsbook. The 76ers hold +235 odds of winning outright, with the game total set at 213.5 points.

76ers vs. Knicks preview

The Philadelphia 76ers made the all-in push to sign Paul George to pair with the All-Star duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey following the postseason exit to New York. But Philadelphia fell on its face the following year as Embiid’s injury issues hit their biggest low point and the Sixers limped to a 24-58 record, but managed to add third-overall pick V.J. Edgecombe as a pretty strong consolation prize. They return to the postseason this year after going 45-37 across the regular season to finish as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia defeated the Orlando Magic in the opening play-in matchup to earn the seventh seed and then defeated the Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs, marking the first 7-over-2 upset in the Eastern Conference since 2003. Philadelphia has gone 49-41 against the spread, and the game total is 42-48 to the over/under. 

Joel Embiid is officially listed as probable with a right hip contusion. He made his return from an emergency appendectomy after just 17 days to lead the Sixers on a 3-1 series comeback to advance. However, he looked to have hyperextended his knee on two awkward looking plays during Game 7, but remained in the game and downplayed it afterward. Expect Embiid to be on the floor, but what level he is at is the larger storyline to monitor. Tyrese Maxey is the lone other player listed on the injury report and is considered available due to some lingering finger issues.

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 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 are holding themselves to championship expectations and elected to move on from Tom Thibodeau last season despite making it to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Mike Brown took over as head coach and steered the team to third place in the Eastern Conference by securing a 53-29 overall record. There have been some significant ups and downs this season, but the Knicks look as good as any team in the league when they play to their peak. On the season, New York has gone 48-41 against the spread, and the game total is 41-48 to the over/under.

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. Jeremy Sochan is the only player on the injury report and is considered probable with left hamstring tightness.

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.

76ers vs. Knicks prediction, pick

Especially following the vulnerabilities shown by the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers during their opening round series, both the Knicks and Sixers should be licking their chops at the chance to reach the NBA Finals. But they must battle with each other first, and expect both teams to be prepared to throw their best effort into the series. While there has been plenty of talk about the 2023-24 series, these teams are very different from the ones that took the floor two years ago. For the Sixers, Paul George and V.J. Edgcombe are welcomed new faces, while Tobias Harris and Nico Batum are no longer there, and Kyle Lowry was still logging major minutes at this point. For the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges will be the upgrades expected to make a strong impact, while Isaiah Hartenstein and Donte DiVincenzo are no longer on the roster.

This is a series I expect to go deep and both sides to have some moments of success against each other. The +220 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook of the 76ers to win the series feel far too large for my liking, and I am backing Philadelphia to advance when push comes to shove.

However, this is a great spot for the Knicks to capitalize in Game 1. The Sixers are coming off a physically and emotionally draining seven-game victory over the Celtics. This is a Boston team that has sent them home three times in the postseason during the Embiid era, and the Celtics entered the series as -900 favorites on DraftKings. Game 7 took place just two days ago, and it required all-out effort for the Sixers to keep their season alive.

For the Knicks, they defeated the Hawks in 6 games and last played on Thursday. With a rest advantage and the home crowd behind them, expect a statement performance in the series opener. This is especially the case as New York went 30-10 at home in the regular season and is 25-14 against the spread as a home favorite this year.

This will be a feel-out matchup for Philadelphia, and the Knicks will be ready to bounce. Count on the extra rest and preparation time to swing things in the Knicks’ favor for them to build off their momentum after closing out the Hawks in dominant fashion. Buckle up for a thrilling overall series, but back the Knicks to take control with a statement win at home by more than the 7.5-point margin.

Best Bet: Knicks -7.5 (-105)