Tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Philadelphia 76ers will take on the New York Knicks. There is still some leftover juice in the rivalry from the 2024 postseason, in which the Knicks sent the Sixers packing.
Both these teams have hopes of making some postseason noise this year. They have faced off once already this year, with the Sixers producing a 116-107 victory back on Dec. 19.
The Knicks are 2.5-point favorites and -148 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Sixers are +124 underdogs with the game total set at 233.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Saturday night matchup.
76ers vs. Knicks Preview
Philadelphia is 18-14 this season and has played its most encouraging basketball of late. The 76ers are coming off back-to-back wins over the Grizzlies and Mavericks where the full potential of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George is beginning to be seen. During Tuesday’s victory over the Grizzlies, Maxey and Embiid each scored 34 points and combined for 20 assists. It took until the third quarter for any basket to be scored that was not scored or assisted by one of the All-Stars. The organization has also greatly benefitted from the addition from third-overall pick VJ Edgecombe.
The Sixers average 116.6 points per game, which ranks 15th in the league. They rank 18th in offensive rating, 27th in field goal percentage, 16th in three-point percentage, 19th in pace, and 10th in rebounds per game. Opponents are scoring 116 points per game against them, which ranks 15th in the league. Philadelphia has the 13th-best defensive rating, 11th best opponents’ field goal percentage and fourth best opponents’ three-point percentage.
The sample size for a fully healthy team is still small, but the recent production is encouraging. Only Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford are expected to miss tonight due to injury.
Maxey is averaging 30.9 points and 7.2 assists in an NBA-leading 39.9 minutes per game, while shooting 39.6% from beyond the three-point arc. Edgecombe is averaging 16.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists, while Joel Embiid is tallying 22.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game despite limited minutes. Paul George adds 15.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 38.8% from the perimeter, while Quentin Grimes brings a nice spark off the bench at 14.8 points per game. The Sixers are 19-13 against the spread this season, and the game total is 16-16 to the over/under.
The New York Knicks are 23-11 on the year and remain in second place in the Eastern Conference. They are looking to bounce back from a frustrating 111-99 loss to the Atlanta Hawks last night. Josh Hart and Landry Shamet remain sidelined for New York, while Mitchell Robinson is expected to be available. Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as questionable with an illness.
The Knicks are averaging 120.5 points per game, which is the fifth-best scoring total in the NBA. They rank fourth in offensive rating, 11th in field goal percentage, fourth in three-point percentage, fourth in rebounds per game, and 23rd in pace. Opponents are scoring 114.5 points per game against New York, which ranks 11th in the league. The Knicks rank 16th in defensive rating, 10th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 22nd in opponents’ three-point percentage.
Jalen Brunson headlines the team with 29.2 points and 6.5 assists, while shooting 37.8% from three. Towns adds 21.9 points and 11.7 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby have each had some nice flashes in the new Mike Brown system. Whether it is newfound depth or just more willingness to lean on these options with the new coaching regime, the Knicks have gotten strong production from the bench all season. Miles McBride, Mitchell Robinson, Tyler Kolek, and Jordan Clarkson have each had some really positive flashes. New York is 19-16 against the spread this season, and the game total has gone over in 20 of 35 games.
76ers vs. Knicks Prediction, Best Bet
Don’t look now, but the Sixers may have been written off a bit too prematurely. When the 76ers are healthy, this team looks the part of an Eastern Conference contender. That said, the team has such a small sample size while at full strength. Their first win over the Knicks came without Joel Embiid, with Maxey and Edgecombe’s 53 combined points leading to the win.
Perhaps the bigger story has been a concerning dip in production from the Knicks. Not only did they lose to the Hawks last night, but the matchup was never particularly close. Atlanta pushed the lead to as large as 26 and led for 83% of the matchup. Despite the Knicks outscoring the Hawks 29-17 in the fourth quarter, they still lost by 12. This also comes after losing to the Spurs in their previous matchup and dropping four of their last eight games.
The NBA In-Season Champions have a lot of miles on their legs, and fatigue has hit them a bit. It would be a major blow to their offense if Towns is unable to play, especially with Hart already sidelined.
Although Brunson has been great recently, he will face Edgecombe tonight, which was a troubling matchup the first time around. Edgecombe guarded Brunson for 70 possessions and held him to just two points on 10% true shooting. Brunson is crafty and experienced enough that he will have more success in the second bout, but Edgecombe’s size and athleticism advantage aren’t going anywhere.
This feels like two teams trending in opposite directions and a prime chance for the Sixers to add another upset victory to their resume. Philadelphia has momentum on its side and has played its most cohesive basketball in recent games. In contrast, the Knicks’ energy level has been concerning, and being on the second half of a back-to-back does not help.
