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NBA Playoffs: Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks Series Odds, and Picks

By ยท Updated 10 months ago
  • The 76ers came from behind to knock off the Heat in the play-in, defeating them 105-104.
  • New York enters the playoffs on a 5-game winning streak, and surged into the #2 position.
  • The Knicks went 3-1 against the 76ers this season, winning by an average margin of 18 points.

The NBA regular season has concluded, and the postseason is underway. Let’s preview this upcoming rivarly clash between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks. The Knicks dominated Philly all season long, but only faced Joel Embiid once.


How to Watch

  • Game 1 – Apr 20, 6:00 PM EDT, on ESPN
  • Game 2 – Apr 22, 7:30 PM EDT, on TNT
  • Game 3 – Apr 25, 7:30 PM EDT, on TNT
  • Game 4 – Apr 28, 1:00 PM EDT, on ABC
  • Game 5 – Apr 30, TBD*
  • Game 6 – May 2, TBD*
  • Game 7 – May 4, TBD*
  • *if necessary

Preview

Philadelphia’s postseason success hinges on the health of star C Joel Embiid, who recently returned to action, but isnโ€™t back to 100% health yet. If Embiid plays and is not limited by his injury, the 76ers are capable of pulling off a first-round upset here. On the other hand, they’d face a mountainous task to overcome New York’s stout defense without him. The 76ers need to find a way to overcome poor regular-season results against the Knicks, and may be relying on Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris to do so.

The Knicks surged into the Eastern Conferenceโ€™s 2-seed after winning five straight games. Jalen Brunson was sensational down the stretch, averaging nearly 40 ppg over the past two weeks. New York has also gotten a boost from the improved play of Josh Hart since he entered the starting lineup. Hart ranks 5th in the NBA in triple doubles. New York will be relying heavily on their bench to ease the load for Brunson and the rest of the starting five. The return of Mitchell Robinson should make an impact.


Prediction

Itโ€™s surprising to see the 7-seed favored in a series over the 2-seed, but it makes sense considering the 76ers lost a ton of ground when Joel Embiid was out. That being said, the Knicks lost Julius Randle and OG Anunoby, among others, for an extended period of time as well. They managed to stay afloat during that stretch, and dominated the 76ers in most of their regular season matchups. I wouldn’t be shocked if this series goes to 6 or 7 games, but I like to Knicks to get it done by Game 5.

NBA Picks

  • Knicks in 5 (NYK +105)
Keith McCarthy
Contributor Keith McCarthy is an experienced sports analyst with a passion for predicting the outcomes of games spanning across sports such as football, basketball, baseball, and hockey, with a special expertise in college sports.

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