The New York Knicks (2-3) visit the Philadelphia 76ers (4-1) on Friday at Xfinity Mobile Arena, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The 76ers won the teams' first meeting 106-100 on October 20 at Madison Square Garden.
Team Form
Philadelphia has won four of its first five games, most recently rallying past the Indiana Pacers 114-109 on Wednesday behind 27 points from Tyrese Maxey and 21 points with 11 rebounds from Joel Embiid. The Knicks have recovered from an 0-3 start with two straight victories, including a 133-127 comeback win at Chicago on Wednesday where Jalen Brunson scored 38 points and OG Anunoby added 23.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Despite playing on the road, the Knicks are listed as 3.5-point favorites with the over/under set at 225.5 points. New York is -148 on the moneyline, while Philadelphia is +124. SportsLine projects a 117-110 Knicks victory and gives New York a 66% chance to win outright and a 64% probability of covering the spread. The opening game produced 206 total points, and four of Philadelphia's five games have finished below 228.5 points.
Key Players
For the 76ers, Maxey leads the offense with 28 points in the first meeting and 27 in the win over Indiana. Embiid contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds on Wednesday. For the Knicks, Brunson's 38-point performance at Chicago highlighted the team's offensive firepower, while Karl-Anthony Towns grabbed 13 rebounds in that game.
Friday's contest also marks the start of NBA Cup group play for both teams.
