The Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks square off in Game 1 of their first round matchup in the 2024 NBA playoffs on Saturday. The Sixers had to fight their way into the playoffs. On Wednesday, Philadelphia defeated the Miami Heat 105-104 in the 7 vs. 8 Play-In matchup to lock down the seventh seed. Meanwhile, New York ended the regular season on a five-game win streak to finish in second place in the Eastern Conference regular season standings. Julius Randle (shoulder) will miss the entire postseason for the Knicks.
Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Knicks are 3-point favorites in the latest 76ers vs. Knicks odds from SportsLine consensus. The over/under for total points is 208.5. Before making any Knicks vs. 76ers picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer simulation model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 88-58 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,600. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Sixers vs. Knicks and just locked in its picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Knicks vs. Sixers:
- 76ers vs. Knicks spread: New York -3
- 76ers vs. Knicks over/under: 208.5 points
- 76ers vs. Knicks money line: New York -156, Philadelphia +131
- NYK: The Knicks are 44-37-1 against the spread this season.
- PHI: The 76ers are 48-35 against the spread this season.
- 76ers vs. Knicks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the 76ers can cover
Center Joel Embiid is listed as questionable (knee), but is widely expected to play. He remains of the most impactful players in the NBA. The seven-time All-Star owns a nasty face-up game and will knock down perimeter jumpers with ease. Embiid averages 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. On April 12 versus the Magic, Embiid had 32 points, 13 rebound and seven assists.
Guard Tyrese Maxey thrives as a shot-creator for the 76ers. Maxey will attack the paint to either score or dish the rock to a teammate. The Kentucky product also has a reliable jumper on the outside to space the floor. Maxey logged 25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. He dropped 19 points and six assists in the Play-In win over the Heat. See which team to pick here.
Why the Knicks can cover
Guard Jalen Brunson is the main playmaker for the Knicks. Brunson has the ball handling ability to create space from all three levels while owning the body control to finish through contact in the lane. The Villanova product was fourth in the NBA in scoring (28.7) and 13th in assists (6.7). In the season finale win over the Bulls, Brunson had 40 points, eight rebound and seven assists.
Guard Donte DiVincenzo is a high-energy player with a reliable jumper. DiVincenzo has been a consistent shooter from beyond the arc but will put the ball on the deck to head into the lane. He averaged 15.5 points, 3.7 assists and shot 40% from 3-point land. Additionally, he was third in the NBA (283) in 3-pointers made this season. On April 14 against the Chicago Bulls, DiVincenzo tallied 25 points and seven boards. See which team to pick here.
How to make 76ers vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 213 points. The model also says one side hits in over 50% of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who 76ers vs. Knicks, and which side hits in over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Knicks vs. 76ers spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $2,600 on its NBA picks this season, and find out.
