And just like that, the NBA preseason is upon us. Teams are finalizing their preparations for what promises to be an electrifying regular season in 2025. Nothing like a contest between two Eastern Conference rivals to whet our appetites, as the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers show out in the preseason on Saturday.
The Knicks are set as 7.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. They’re priced at -285 on the moneyline, while the Sixers are +230 underdogs. The total for this game is set at 217.5 points. Let’s get into my preview, prediction and pick for this Knicks vs. 76ers preseason game.
Knicks vs. 76ers Preview
Thursday’s game between these two teams sure had the feel of a preseason game. The Knicks, who won 99-84, shot 38.5% from the floor and 20.5% from three while turning it over 17 times. The Sixers fared much worse, shooting 34.6% from the field and a ghastly 8.6% from three while turning it over 20 times. Shaking the rust off feels too lenient a description for this game.
But this game did have its highlights, including a near-poster by Sixers rookie V.J. Edgecombe:
But the conditions of this 76ers roster were evident in their first game. Neither Joel Embiid nor Paul George played, due to being perpetually made of glass. And promising sophomore guard Jared McCain recently underwent surgery to repair a UCL tear in his thumb.
Conversely, the Knicks are playing with a near-full deck. OG Anunoby was their only significant contributor to sit this game out while Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and many more played. That includes Mitchell Robinson, who put up a whopping 16 rebounds along with some stout defense.
Knicks vs. 76ers pick, best bet
Even in uncertain preseason action, it’s impossible to pick against a near-whole Knicks squad against a banged-up 76ers team. If the two teams were healthy, the Knicks would still be the superior team. I’m backing New York to get a second straight preseason victory over Philadelphia.
