Tonight, we get a rematch of the Opening Night matchup that pitted the reigning champs against the King. The New York Knicks are on the road to face the Philadelphia 76ers in a superstar-studded affair that should be the best game of this slate. The wrinkle of NBA Cup play also provides some additional drama to this tilt, too, as the league kicks off the group stage of the now-annual in-season tournament.
Read on for a full preview, prediction and pick for Friday’s Knicks vs. 76ers matchup, courtesy of odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Knicks vs. 76ers prediction, preview
It’s been far from an ideal start to the new season for the Knicks. They’re currently 2-3 as fears of a championship hangover start to build, but it’s still very early, so there’s no need to panic by any means. The schedule has been quite tough anyways – they played the Sixers, Celtics, Magic and Pistons in their first four games, winning the latter of those matchups before beating the Bulls, too. The good news is that New York’s defense remains quite solid, allowing 109.6 PPG and ranking 10th in DEFRTG. The bad news is that the offense is yet to find its stride with just 109.8 PPG, a mark that falls 24th, and the 20th-ranked OFFRTG. That’s largely due to poor finishing since the Knicks’ 46.8% 2P% falls dead last in the NBA, though a 35.9% clip from beyond the arc ranks 10th. Overall, they land 15th in NETRTG at +0.2. The rebounding is probably the biggest positive to glean from their numbers at fourth in REB% and first in OREB%, a real feat given the offseason departure of big man Mitchell Robinson. Still, there’s plenty of work to be done.
Unsurprisingly, Jalen Brunson’s 25.8 points and 5.0 assists per game are both team highs, while Karl-Anthony Towns posts 21.8 points and a team-best 13.8 rebounds per outing. The latter has been excellent this season, while OG Anunoby pitches in 17.6 points and 6.2 rebounds. However, they’re the only three Knicks averaging double-digit points at the moment.
Meanwhile, the new-look 76ers seem to be coming for the reigning champs’ crown. Their splashy moves were the story of the offseason – acquiring both Jaylen Brown and LeBron James – and the boldness is paying off. They’re 4-1 with wins over the Knicks and Cavaliers prior to victories over the Bucks and Pacers, with the lone loss coming to the Pistons. Look a little closer and you may be surprised by the numbers, though. Philadelphia ranks 12th in NETRTG at +3.3, and surprisingly, the defense has been the differentiator. The Sixers are allowing only 107.4 PPG, fifth fewest, with the third-best DEFRTG at that. It’s a big surprise for a team that was widely critiqued for its lack of standout defenders this offseason, and the offense hasn’t yet gelled with just 110.8 PPG and the 25th-ranked OFFRTG. Much like the Knicks, the Sixers are struggling to finish inside with a 49.1% 2P% that falls 28th, but they’re shooting just 32.6% from deep. As such, they’re just 28th in TS%, so efficiency is a major shortcoming at the moment.
Tyrese Maxey leads the way with 28.4 points per game, also pitching in 4.6 assists and 1.8 steals. Joel Embiid is second in scoring with 21.5 points and first in rebounding with 10.0 boards per game, but the big man is shooting a paltry 42.6% overall. Brown – questionable tonight on the injury report – is posting 20.6 points and 6.6 boards. And of course, James is still contributing in his 24th pro season with 15.5 points and a team-best 6.8 dimes per outing.
Knicks vs. 76ers pick, best bet
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Knicks as a 1.5-point road favorite tonight with -125 odds on the Moneyline. The 76ers are a +105 underdog to win outright at home with the total set at 226.5 combined points.
Two of the NBA’s least efficient teams – ranked 28th and 29th in TS% – square off in this matchup. Both sides have been productive on the defensive side of the ball, surprisingly so when it comes to Philadelphia. Neither one is finishing well inside the arc, and on the flip side, both rank inside the top-four teams when it comes to opponent 2P% allowed. Philly is near the top of the league in pace, but New York falls near the bottom. Moreover, the 76ers won 106-100 the first time these teams squared off on Opening Night.
Overall, there are enough factors to feel confident in the under tonight, which I’m far more comfortable picking than I am with trying to project a winner. Especially with Brown questionable as of the time this article was written, the outlook is a bit murky when it comes to that result, but if he doesn’t play, the under will look even better than it currently does.
