The 76ers and Knicks will meet at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Dec. 25, at noon ET to kick off a five-game NBA Christmas Day slate.
This will be the second meeting of the season between Philadelphia and New York and the first in which Joel Embiid and James Harden are healthy. Will their presence be enough to turn this one in the Sixers’ favor?
Here are my Philadelphia vs New York best bets and predictions for this marquee matchup.
76ers vs Knicks Odds
As of Thursday, Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. ET, the 76ers are listed as 3.5-point favorites on the road at bet365 Sportsbook. This doesn’t come as a huge surprise — besides Philly being the better team, the Knicks barely squeaked by a short-handed 76ers squad earlier this year.
76ers vs Knicks Implied Totals
76ers 111.5, Knicks 108
Bookmakers have the 76ers winning by about a bucket in what should be one of the lower-scoring games on the NBA Christmas Day slate.
76ers vs Knicks Pick of the Day
Read more on this 76ers vs Knicks bet below.
76ers vs Knicks Prediction
76ers 112, Knicks 104
With Embiid and Harden back in the fold for the 76ers, Philadelphia has every reason why it should win this game. The Sixers’ big three is superior to New York’s in just about every way, although the Knicks have improved this year.
The Sixers’ defense is a big reason why I like them in this matchup. Philadelphia is terrific along the perimeter, limiting opponents to the second-fewest three-point makes per game.
That’s terrible news for a Knicks team that attempts the 11th-most threes per game this season, and even worse when we consider that they’re only sinking them at a 32.6% rate, which is the fifth-worst mark in the NBA.
If the 76ers can maintain their slow pace of play and keep New York from generating too many efficient looks inside the arc, they should win this one comfortably.
76ers vs Knicks Bet Tips
Here are a few 76ers vs Knicks betting trends to consider before making your bets. Note that all statistics are current as of Thursday, Dec. 15.
- The 76ers are 15-11-1 against the spread, while the Knicks are 14-12-2.
- Philadelphia is 3-2 outright as a road favorite.
- Overs are a combined 26-28-1 in 76ers and Knicks games.
76ers vs Knicks Best Bets
76ers -3.5 (-110) at bet365 Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
New York is just 5-7-2 against the spread in home games and 1-2 against division opponents this season. Philadelphia has the better ATS record and more star power, so I believe they’ll leave Madison Square Garden with a win on Christmas Day.
Under 219.5 Points (-110) at bet365 Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
I see this game being a slow-paced defensive showcase. The Knicks were involved in a similar game last Christmas against the Hawks, and Philly prefers to slow things down in the halfcourt.
76ers vs Knicks Props
Check out the best 76ers vs Knicks player prop bets for NBA Christmas Day with our props comparison tool. Click on “Show More Games" below to find the Philadelphia vs New York game and see all of its prop bets.