An Eastern Conference showdown between a pair of playoff contenders will go head to head as the New York Knicks take on the Philadelphia 76ers. Join us for our NBA odds series where our Knicks-76ers prediction and pick will be revealed.
Fresh off of a pair of convincing wins in a row over the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Chicago Bulls, it is the Knicks that are eager to show the rest of the NBA world what they are made of. As it stands, New York posts a 19-15 record overall and are in the eighth-place spot in the east.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers have been humming right along during the first half of the regular season with a 23-10 record which is good enough for the third-best mark in the conference. Since the departure of James Harden to Los Angeles, the Sixers have looked like one of the best teams in the league and are coming off an impressive showing on Tuesday which resulted in a 13-point win over the Chicago Bulls.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Knicks-76ers Odds
New York Knicks: +6.6 (-112)
Philadelphia 76ers: -6.6 (-108)
Over: 226.5 (-110)
Under: 226.5 (-110)
How to Watch Knicks vs. 76ers
Time: 7:40 ET/4:4o PT
TV: MSG Network/ESPN
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Knicks Could Cover The Spread
Although the Knicks haven't been as impressive as they would have liked to be at this point of the season, there is still plenty of star power to go around on this roster.
Obviously, it all starts with the one-two punch of guard Jalen Brunson and the bruising power forward Julius Randle that make this offense go 'round. By a considerable margin, this match made in heaven is pacing the Knicks in scoring at 25 points per game, and the case could be made that they are one of the more feared duos that the league has to offer.
Of course, the play of Brunson and Randle could be just what the doctor ordered in helping New York come out victorious in this road matchup in Philadelphia but don't be surprised if their recent rebounding prowess will once again be the talk of the town. After out-rebounding the T-Wolves and the Bulls, cleaning up the class and earning themselves second-chance opportunities on the glass will prove to be vital. In addition, the Knicks are only 9-11 outside of their home arena, so playing a brand of basketball with little margin for error could be key.
Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread
With the return of Joel Embiid in the lineup after missing a handful of games with a sprained ankle, it was the do-it-all big man who was a freak of nature against the Bulls en route to his seventh-career triple-double. At this stage of his career, Embiid is a walking mismatch. Indeed, Embiid is a physically imposing force that is almost impossible to stop, and it will obviously end up being the league's top scorer who will give the Knicks a run for their money on Friday evening.
Clearly, Embiid has been in a world of his own during the 2023-2024 regular season, but the most encouraging aspect of this squad has been their ability to put up points as a whole. Alas, unlike other years, it appears Embiid has accepted more of a facilitating role. While the Philly superstar is still finding ways to hurt the opposition in the points department, it is the Cameroon native who hasn't been afraid to make that extra pass to an open teammate for the score. Without a doubt, this added element to the Philadelphia offense has been a big reason why the Sixers are so hard to game plan for with the basketball in their possession.
Even if the Sixers endure an off shooting night on Friday, be on the lookout for Philadelphia to be suffocating on the defensive side of the court. Believe it or not, but the 76ers are surrendering the fourth-fewest points per game in the league and are not afraid top contest shots at a consistent rate. If Philly can continue to force turnovers and make getting open looks for New York more than challenging, then finding a way to cover the spread will be a piece of cake.
Final Knicks-76ers Prediction & Pick
Over the years, these two franchises have been involved in plenty of heavyweight battles as each team always looks to reign supreme out on the East Coast. In this first edition of the season, side with the home team in the Philadelphia 76ers to defend their own court en route to a spread-covering victory.
Final Knicks-76ers Prediction & Pick: 76ers -6.5 (-108)