The Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks will face off for a Game 2 matchup in Madison Square Garden tonight. New York put forth a convincing 137-98 win in Game 1, in which the Sixers’ fatigue from the grueling seven-game series in the opening round was clear. These teams split their regular-season series 2-2, and the emotions are still high from the 2023-24 postseason series between these two organizations.

Looking at the odds for Game 2, 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

After a disastrous season last year in which the injury issues with the aging stars were put on full display, the Sixers have rebounded. With V.J. Edgecombe now a part of the core, they returned to the playoff mix with a 45-37 record over the regular season. Philadelphia defeated the Orlando Magic in the opening play-in matchup and then defeated the Boston Celtics in seven games in the second round. Philadelphia has gone 49-42 against the spread, and the game total is 43-48 to the over/under so far this year. 

Joel Embiid is officially listed as probable with a right ankle sprain. This marks the third different ailment that he has been on the injury report across the five postseason games played. The former MVP made his return from an emergency appendectomy after just 17 days to lead the Sixers on a 3-1 series comeback to advance. 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 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 looked the part of legitimate championship contenders this season, even while battling some pretty significant highs and lows. They did not accept the Eastern Conference Finals loss last year, and replaced Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown as head coach, and finished the regular season in third place in the conference with a 53-29 record. On the season, New York has gone 48-41 against the spread, and the game total is 41-48 to the over/under.

The Knicks enter tonight’s matchup with a clean injury report. 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 Takeaways:

There is not a ton to take away from the Game 1 result. New York cruised to a 137-98 victory, in which they stretched the lead to as many as 40 and led for 91% of the matchup. The Knicks shot an impressive 63% from the floor and 51% from beyond the three-point arc, and the game was never in much doubt after the opening period.

For the Knicks, there are some takeaways they can build off. Jalen Brunson tallied 35 points on just 18 field goal attempts and looked extremely comfortable throughout. New York did an excellent job attacking Joel Embiid in drop coverage and putting him in vulnerable positions. The Knicks have won three straight games by 29+ points and will be looking to build off this.

For the Sixers, this felt much more of an emotional letdown spot than anything. The team was just two days removed from winning a thrilling Game 7 victory in Boston, and it is a difficult task to turnaround less than 48 hours later to play a tough Knicks team in Madison Square Garden. The physical and mental fatigue was real, and the team did not bring the necessary effort level to compete in a playoff setting.

Philadelphia also cannot survive games if both Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey struggle. The All-Star duo combined for just 27 points on 6-for-20 shooting in the Game 1 loss. Defensively, Philadelphia threw multiple different options at Brunson and did not stick with any matchup for an extended stretch. To some extent, it felt a bit like Nick Nurse was getting a look at each matchup and building a game plan from there.

It is not acceptable to just throw away a playoff game under any circumstances. But it is also fair to note that the circumstances played to the Knicks’ favor, especially with New York having a massive advantage in their overall depth. Philadelphia has put its resiliency on display by losing by 28+ points in the opening round and still winning the series. They will look to lean on this once again and produce a much better effort in Game 2.

76ers vs. Knicks Game 2 prediction, pick

Expect this to be a tale of two games and for the Sixers to come out with a much more spirited effort in Game 2. There are plenty of X’s and O’s adjustments that must be made, but it starts with the effort and energy. If the Sixers allow New York to take control of the game, they will do so.

But expect the resiliency from this Sixers team to be shown in the second matchup, and these teams to look much more evenly matched. New York has more depth and bench production. But the Sixers’ starting unit can go toe to toe with the Knicks, and there is a pretty convincing case that there is a tad more top-end talent on the Sixers’ starting five.

Expect Embiid and Maxey to have much more success running their two-man actions, and for Philadelphia to lean on this at a greater rate. Maxey had scored 30+ points in six consecutive games at Madison Square Garden prior to Monday’s loss and will lean on his speed as a difference-maker once again.

There is a world where the Sixers are out of gas, and Embiid’s various ailments prove to be too much to overcome. But this team has proven to be resilient all year and is plenty capable of flushing a frustrating loss and putting forth a completely different effort. The 1-0 series hole is far from ideal, but you must win four games in a series for a reason.

My lean is toward the Sixers getting the outright victory on the road in a series that should be expected to go deep. However, I am backing the 7.5-point spread in the Sixers’ favor. Expect a night and day difference from what was seen in the series opener, and for tonight to come down to the wire. Don’t count the Sixers being done just yet, and expect the Game 2 matchup to come down to the final few shots.

Best Bet: 76ers +7.5 (-112)