The Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks duke it out in Game 2 NBA action at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. Here’s a 76ers vs Knicks prediction.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers will be hoping to level up the series after coming up short to the Knicks in a 111-104 in Game 1 on Saturday. Tyrese Maxey led the team with 33 points on 14 of 26 shooting, Joel Embiid added 29 points with eight rebounds and six assists, while Kyle Lowry chipped in with 18 points on five of nine shooting. As a team, the 76ers shot 44 percent from the field and 12 of 35 from the 3-point line as they dominated the third quarter by 36-21 to turn a 14-point deficit into a 13-point lead, only to get run down in the fourth quarter where the Knicks started to pull away. The 76ers bench combined for just seven points with Nicolas Batum scoring just three points in 26 minutes of action.
New York Knicks
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks needed to start the series strong and they did just that with a solid win over the 76ers on Saturday. Josh Hart led the team with 22 points and 13 rebounds, Jalen Brunson added 22 points with seven rebounds and seven assists while Miles McBride chipped in with 21 points and four assists off the bench. As a team, the Knicks shot just 39 percent from the field and 16 of 35 from the 3-point line as they looked to be in trouble when they squandered a 14-point lead, but they kept their cool and turned to Hart who carried the team down the stretch to come away with the series opening win.
New York Knicks Team Facts
- The Knicks have won each of their last six games.
- The Knicks have covered the spread in each of their last four Eastern Conference First Round games.
- Thirteen of the Knicks’ last 14 night games have gone OVER the total points line.
Philadelphia 76ers Team Facts
- The 76ers have won nine of their last 10 games.
- The 76ers have covered the spread in each of their last six games following a loss.
- Each of the 76ers’ last seven night games against Eastern Conference opponents have gone OVER the total points line.
76ers vs Knicks prediction
The 76ers are shorthanded again, with De’Anthony Melton still ruled out and Joel Embiid labelled as questionable. The Knicks are still missing Julius Randle and Duane Washington Jr. The 76ers were probably expecting to get the series lead, but they fell just short and could now be without Embiid. The Knicks have all the momentum now thanks to a big game from Hart, and it’s no surprise that they’ve opened as favorites for this one. This should be another close contest, but I can see the Knicks maintaining their momentum with another win here behind a big game from Brunson.