New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers Shape of the Teams
The Philadelphia 76ers find themselves in a deep hole going into game five, as the New York Knicks have been able to grind them out in all but one game so far in the series. Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and OG Anunoby have been giving the 76ers the work, with Brunson scoring from everywhere, while Anunoby has been huge on the defensive side of the ball.
Unfortunately for 76ers fans, it doesn’t look like Joel Embiid’s return has been quite enough to put them over the edge. Don’t get us wrong, Embiid has been doing everything on the court, averaging 35 points a night along with 9 boards and 5.5 assists, but it just hasn’t been enough down the stretch.
Now, the 76ers find themselves in a 3-1 hole heading to Madison Square Garden against a Knicks roster with all the momentum in the world. The Knicks bench is getting involved alongside the entire fanbase, showcasing just how much this playoff run means to New Yorkers. And adding insult to injury, the Knicks fans will be intense going into the series-closing game five.
Odds via Tonybet
| Knicks vs 76ers | April 30, 5:00 p.m EDT |
| Philadelphia 76ers odds | +139 |
| New York Knicks odds | -172 |
| Philadelphia 76ers spread +4.5 | -120 |
| New York Knicks spread -4.5 | -106 |
Nonetheless, we can’t completely count out the 76ers, especially considering how emotional Embiid can get during the playoffs. If he decides to put the team on his back, not wanting to lose 4-1 in the series, he could potentially will his way to a win.
At the end of the day, Embiid is still an MVP-level player, no matter how you look at it, and when a player of his calibre wants a win, things happen.
However, 76ers fans shouldn’t get their hopes up, as without a miracle game by either Tyrese Maxey or Embiid, your post-season could be over. The New York Knicks are just playing so well as a team right now that it’s hard to make a defensive scheme to deal with them.
Brunson has been absolutely on fire this series, making acrobatic buckets left and right, while Josh Hart has been pulling down 12.8 boards per game, beating out Embiid. But that’s not all, as you go down the Knicks roster, everyone is playing their role, with 6 players averaging 10 or more points a night this series.
That is all to say, as long as the Knicks continue playing the amazing team basketball we have seen so far, they should have an edge going into game five of the series. The 76ers could be going home early.
New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction
- Pick: New York Knicks -4.5
- Odds: -106 (Tonybet)
A lot of the Knick’s success, not only in this series but in the regular season as well, has been based on their work ethic, diving for balls, fighting for boards, and getting everyone involved. We don’t see that changing in a pivotal game five, where the Knicks will likely put everything on the line to put the 76ers away for good.
Josh Hart will likely continue to pull down board after board while scoring a solid 16.8 points a night while Jalen Brunson continues to score from everywhere on the floor. Running floaters, acrobatic finishes at the rim, and some seriously solid shooting, what can’t Brunson do?
Job is not done 🔒
Back at @TheGarden tomorrow pic.twitter.com/OdBuyLWzsi
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) April 29, 2024
On the defensive side of the ball, OG Anunoby has continued to be a force of nature, clogging passing lanes and annoying defenders with his high basketball IQ.
On the 76ers side of things, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey have been carrying the bulk of the load with Kelly Oubre Jr. and an aging Kyle Lowry putting up solid numbers. However, outside of those four players, the 76ers are struggling, hard.
Tobias Harris seems like a ghost on the floor, picking up some boards but not really creating any offensive or getting any real defensive stops. At the same time, Cameron Payne and Nicolas Batum have been useless.
It’s honestly quite sad to see Embiid return from his injury, playing well, and only be kicked from playoffs in round one. This could be the end of the “trust the process” era.
final. @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/bj7JPWYNn8
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 28, 2024
Unless the 76ers roleplayers really pick up the pace and help out Embiid and Maxey, it’ll be tough for them to not only win this game but also dig themselves out of a 3-1 hole. And let’s again not forget that game five is at Madison Square Garden.
All in all, with the combination of rosters, momentum and a home-court advantage, we have to give the advantage to the New York Knicks. As long as the Knicks keep their foot on the 76ers’ neck and continue to fight for every single loose ball, they should have a good shot at grabbing the dub and the series.
New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers Player Pick
- Pick: Joel Embiid to score over 32.5
- Odds: -115 (Tonybet)
As the Philadelphia 76ers face imminent elimination in game five against the New York Knicks, Joel Embiid may just unleash an offensive explosion to try and keep his team in the playoffs, potentially surpassing the 32.5-point mark.
With his back against the ball, the 76ers playoff hopes hinge on the back of Embiid, which will make the guy desperate, to put it lightly. Embiid will likely attack the rim relentlessly, drawing fouls, getting 1’s and converting easy buckets.
Melton to Embiid. 🪣 pic.twitter.com/FziR0I4W9B
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 28, 2024
Furthermore, Embiid is a dominant scorer to begin with, throughout the regular season the guy was already averaging over 30 points a night, and he’s proved he can turn it on when need be. It also doesn’t hurt that the Knicks don’t have a big enough center or power forward to stop Embiid once he gets going downhill.
While there is a chance Embiid resigns himself to his fate and has an average game, he likely won’t want a blemish on his career, meaning 32.5 points isn’t a stretch.
Disclaimer: Odds are accurate at the time of posting and subject to change. Please verify the latest odds on our platform before betting.
