The Philadelphia 76ers are one of eight road teams that went winless in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
And despite an 0-4 run against the spread by NBA underdogs on Saturday, they improved to 3-1 on Sunday.
Is this a sign that the tides are starting to turn?
Let’s dive into this Game 2 matchup between the 76ers and Knicks.
76ers vs. Knicks odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 76ers | +5.5 (-105) | +190 | o206.5 (-110) |
| Knicks | -5.5 (-115) | -250 | u206.5 (-110) |
76ers analysis
Philadelphia shot better than New York in Game 1 (44.4% vs. 39.6%) but had 10 fewer attempts. The Knicks dominated the glass, outrebounding the 76ers 55-33.
More importantly, Philadelphia was minus-13 in extra-scoring chances. The 76ers were no match for the Knicks on the offensive glass, losing the battle 23-9.
Offensive rebounding has generally been a strength of the 76ers, who ranked ninth overall in the regular season at 11.1 per game. As a result, 76ers coach Nick Nurse will likely focus on offensive rebounding in his team’s preparation for Game 2.
Philadelphia will also need to get a lot more out of its bench, which produced just seven points in Game 1. The bench averaged 31.2 points during the regular season.
Thus, it’s clear the 76ers didn’t play anywhere near their standards, and yet they were still the better shooting team on the day.
Knicks analysis
One of the more surprising things in the series opener was that the Knicks won the game despite the pace being more suited to Philadelphia’s liking.
The closing total was fairly low at 208, and it went over by seven points.
Generally during the postseason, defenses force their opponents to run their halfcourt offense. However, the Knicks had plenty of success in transition, racking up 27 fastbreak points.
The Knicks not only beat Philadelphia to the ball on second-chance opportunities but also outran the 76ers down the other end of the court.
A big part of thwarting a team’s transition offense is getting your rim protector back down the court. And with Joel Embiid moving somewhat gingerly on his balky left knee, the Knicks took full advantage.
New York also got 42 points from its bench, which averaged 23.6 points during the season.
Although bench players tend to play better at home, such a heavy reliance isn’t always sustainable during the playoffs, when your stars need to shine.
That wasn’t the case in Game 1 for the Knicks’ biggest star, Jalen Brunson, who shot just 8-of-26 from the floor.
76ers vs. Knicks prediction
(7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
After covering as a 4.5-point favorite in Game 1, the bookmakers opened with the Knicks laying five points in Game 2. That number is now as high as 6.5.
It’s worth noting that the series opener completely changed when Embiid retreated to the locker room in the first half after tweaking his knee on a self-lob pass off the backboard for an emphatic dunk.
Embiid struggled to make it back down the court, and the Knicks scored 11 seconds later on an OG Anunoby dunk.
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It was part of a 7-0 run to close out the second quarter for the Knicks, who took a 58-46 lead into the locker room.
With Embiid on the floor, the 76ers were +14 in point differential and -21 without him. And while the Philadelphia center wasn’t close to 100% for the game, he still played 37 minutes in the contest.
Reports out of Philadelphia say Embiid felt good a day after their loss. The same can’t be said for Tyrese Maxey, who is questionable with an undisclosed illness.
If the 76ers can improve their rebounding and keep Joel Embiid on the court, they stand a good chance of covering the 6.5-point spread.