The Knicks Expect to Be Healthier Heading into Second Half
Take a Look At The Knicks vs 76ers Odds for This Exciting Eastern Conference Tilt
The New York Knicks will battle the Philadelphia 76ers for second place in the Atlantic Division.
The 76ers haven’t been the same without Joel Embiid. However, the Knicks have also struggled lately with numerous injuries, including Julius Randle.
Embiid and Randle were both Eastern Conference All-Stars but had to be replaced due to their injuries.
The Knicks have Bojan Bogdanovic, Donte DiVincenzo, and Isaiah Hartenstein listed as game-time decisions. OG Anunoby is also still out with an elbow injury. The All-Star Break certainly helped the Knicks get healthier, but it remains to be seen if these guys will actually play in this NBA matchup against Philadelphia.
Therefore, the 76ers are still 1-point favorites at home over the Knicks. Meanwhile, the total is sitting at 226 at -110 on both sides.
How should you bet on this game after looking at the Knicks vs 76ers odds? Our take is below.
Knicks vs 76ers 
Day/Time:
Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Streaming: NBA League Pass
Knicks vs 76ers Odds & Trends
The Knicks lost four consecutive games heading into the All-Star Break. Before those four losses, the Knicks had been on a four-game winning streak. But with NBA injuries piled up, the Knicks struggled to stay consistent.
Still, the Knicks are 29-24-2 against the spread and have been profitable for their bettors. The Under has also hit in 32 of 55 games this season for New York.
On the road, the Knicks are just 14-14. They’ll take on a 76ers squad that is 17-11 at home this year.
Philadelphia has also done well against the spread, covering in 31 of 54 games this NBA season. Philadelphia has been the opposite of the Knicks, hitting the Over in 31 games as well this season.
In an earlier game against the 76ers on January 5, the Knicks added a road win, 128-92 over Philadelphia. Funny enough, Joel Embiid played in that game and added 30 points with ten rebounds. But he only got help from Tyrese Maxey in that game.
When Will Julius Randle Return?
The star power forward for the Knicks is still out heading into this game against the 76ers. The other Knicks listed as game-time decisions will likely be back before Randle.
Randle still hasn’t been given the clear from doctors to return to practice. However, there is growing optimism per the Athletic that Randle will return to the starting lineup before the regular season concludes.
The NBA playoffs begin in mid-April. Therefore, he has under two months to recover from his shoulder injury.
76ers Signed Darius Bazley
Darius Bazley is only 23 years old and a former first-round pick. But he hasn’t quite figured it out in the NBA yet.
He’s coming off a year where he played in 43 games with the Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder. In those games, he only scored 5.2 points and tallied 3.2 rebounds while shooting just above 45% from the field.
Bazley is also a three-point shooting threat who nailed 37.7% from deep this season.
When he was made available again, the 76ers added Bazley to the roster on a ten-day contract. They watched Bazley score 38 points and 15 rebounds in his most recent G-League game and decided to give him another chance.
We’ll see if his G-League success will finally carry over into the NBA.
New York’s Ready To Bounce Back
The Knicks have scored 119.5 points per 100 possessions this season. They’ve also earned 32.2% of offensive rebounds this year, which is the best rate in the NBA.
That’s huge, especially with the 76ers allowing 28.2% of offensive rebounds.
The Knicks might not get the easiest of looks against the 76ers. But they’ll be active on the offensive glass and earn second chances.
It’s also likely the Knicks get to the foul line at a high rate. After all, the 76ers have a free throw rate on defense of 22, which is 27th in the NBA.
Philadelphia is good at forcing turnovers and solid and limiting good shots. But the Knicks’ “effort” plays will be the difference on offense.
On the other hand, the 76ers are also really good at getting to the foul line. But that was primarily thanks to Joel Embiid earlier in the season. The 76ers won’t turn the ball over much and still add 27.5% of offensive rebounds.
However, the Knicks have limited NBA teams to a 17.9 free throw rate and have allowed just 24.4% of offensive rebounds per game this season.
On top of that, the 76ers have shot an effective field goal percentage of only 54.1%. We can’t predict shot-making all of the time. But we can predict effort.
The Knicks typically win in these categories. You can’t have a bad rebounding night. That’s an effort stat. Therefore, we’ll ride with the Knicks at +1 (-110) for this Eastern Conference thriller after looking over the Knicks vs 76ers odds.
The NBA East standings are wide open after the Boston Celtics, who are in first place. A win against the 76ers would be massive for New York, especially on the road, without Randle and Anunoby.
For NBA news, NBA odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
