76ers vs Knicks Game 1 Prediction & Best Bets: Will Philly Make Themselves at Home at MSG?

For just the second time in the 21^st century, the New York Knicks are a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference. The reward? A matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers, who have their star man back in time to potentially make a postseason run. The action between the #2 Knicks and #7 Sixers starts tonight at 6:00 pm ET on ESPN.

Thanks to an overtime win over the Chicago Bulls on the final day of the regular season, the Knicks (50-32) edged out a packed field to land the next-best spot in the East behind the Boston Celtics, who finished 14 games clear for the #1 seed.

In many years, that would be a good thing. That might not be the case this year, however.

With Joel Embiid sidelined from the end of January to the beginning of this month with a meniscus injury, the 76ers struggled to stay afloat. But thanks in part to his return, they won their last eight regular season games and locked up the #7 seed with a play-in tournament win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday.

With Embiid back, this is one of the series most likely to be won by a lower seed, according to oddsmakers. Ahead of Game 1, the Knicks are a -140 favorite at BetOnline, with the 76ers coming in at +120.

Can the Sixers pick up a tenth straight win and shift the odds in their favor? Read on for a prediction and best bets for today’s matchup at MSG.

Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on today’s NBA playoff action.

Spread

• Philadelphia 76ers +4 (-105)
• New York Knicks -4 (-115)

Over/Under

• Over 207.5 (-115)
• Under 207.5 (-105)

Moneyline

• Philadelphia 76ers +158
• New York Knicks -178

Get free and reliable moneyline, spread, and over/under consensus picks for every NBA matchup, including this one, from our NBA picks page.

Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks Prediction and Best Bets

Is Embiid back to 100 percent? No. Does he need to be? Also no.

He didn’t have his best game against the Heat, making just 6 of 17 shots from the field. But he finished with 23 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists, and he made multiple big plays down the stretch to help Philadelphia pull out a 105-104 win over Miami.

Tuesday’s win over the Heat was Philadelphia’s 31^st in 39 games with Embiid this season, including six in a row since he returned to action on April 2. Without him, the 76ers are just 17-27, which is why they are the #7 seed.

Even with Embiid playing in only 15 road games, the 76ers finished 22-19 SU (24-17 ATS) on the road in the regular season. That is thanks in part to going 12-3 SU (10-5 ATS) in road games with Embiid, who averaged 33.1 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 4.9 APG in those 15 games.

With Embiid in tow, you have to like the 76ers’ chances of picking up at least one win in the first two games in the Big Apple.

That said, the Knicks have been formidable as a home favorite this season, going 24-6 SU and 17-13 ATS. Of the 14 teams to be a home favorite in 30 or more games, the Knicks have the fourth best SU mark and the third best ATS mark.

There’s a lot to be said for that and for Jalen Brunson’s ascension into a bona fide NBA superstar in his second season in New York.

But Embiid’s presence makes the 76ers a very, very dangerous team, and I think they will show why this evening.

76ers vs Knicks Prediction: 76ers to win

76ers vs Knicks Best Bets: 76ers +4 & 76ers ML

Other NBA Playoffs Betting Information

Where to Bet on the NBA Playoffs

Many of the top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of NBA betting odds throughout the season.

In addition to being able to bet on 2024 NBA championship odds, you can make daily NBA picks on odds for every game all season long, including NBA playoffs odds.

Also, you can bet on the All-Star Game, NBA Draft odds, and the major awards like NBA MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, and more at most reputable sports betting sites.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for NBA betting. In addition to BetOnline, here are several books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (review)
• BetUS (review)
• Bookmaker (review)
• Bovada (review)
• MyBookie (review)
• Sportsbetting.ag (review)

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Bovada is one of the best sports betting sites for NBA player props, as they offer a plethora of prop markets for every game on the schedule. They also have a hefty welcome bonus for cryptocurrency users (75% up to $750).

Interested in Learning More About NBA Betting?

Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on the NBA? Check out our NBA betting guide. Also, if you’d like to learn more about NBA player prop bets, check out our NBA player props guide.

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