76ers vs Knicks

New York’s six-game surge and 13-1 home record stack up well against Philadelphia’s 5-5 stretch and fresh road loss in Atlanta, giving the Knicks the clear form and venue edge as these Atlantic rivals meet again. With Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart all ruled out for New York and Joel Embiid merely questionable while Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford sit for the Sixers, both sides are dinged, but the current ESPN rosters still leave the Knicks with a steadier healthy core around Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby compared with a Philly group leaning heavily on Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. Brunson’s 28.8 points per game and his 38-point dagger in last season’s overtime win over the Sixers, set against Maxey’s 31.5-point breakout campaign and his memorable 2024 playoff Game 5 explosion at the Garden, point to star power on both ends, yet New York’s superior two-way numbers and dominant home profile make the Knicks moneyline at -205 a B+ play for strong win probability even if the payout is modest. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/12/2025 09:48 ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401810237/76ers-knicks))

Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid drive a Philadelphia offense averaging 116.8 points per game, while New York’s current six-game heater has come with 120.7 points scored and only 112.3 allowed, and the Knicks’ broader 121.0/112.2 profile means their games have routinely landed north of 230 total points. With Towns and Robinson sidelined, New York loses key rim protection and defensive rebounding that usually help cap opponent efficiency, and on the other side Oubre’s absence plus Embiid’s questionable tag should funnel even more on-ball responsibility and shot volume to Maxey and George in what shapes up as a guard- and wing-driven contest. Given Brunson’s 28.8 and Maxey’s 31.5 scoring averages plus a recent 244-point overtime meeting and a 218-point playoff Game 5 between these cores, there’s enough offensive ceiling to justify taking Over 228.5 at -110 with a B- grade, acknowledging that frontcourt injuries and Embiid’s health inject some volatility into the total. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/12/2025 09:48 ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401810237/76ers-knicks))

Philadelphia’s 5-5 mark over the last 10 and modest +1.0 scoring differential (116.8 for, 115.8 against) run into a Knicks team riding a six-game win streak with a +8.4 margin (120.7 scored, 112.3 allowed), suggesting New York is regularly winning by multiple possessions. Even with Towns, Robinson and Hart all out, the Knicks can still lean on Brunson, Bridges and Anunoby on the perimeter, a group that has already produced comfortable home wins over quality opponents, while the Sixers arrive without Oubre and Watford and with Embiid listed as questionable, forcing Maxey and George to shoulder a heavy road scoring burden against an in-form defense. Considering Brunson’s history of torching Philly (38 in last season’s OT win) versus Maxey’s lone signature Garden eruption in that 2024 playoff comeback and pairing those with New York’s 13-1 home record, I’m willing to lay the -5 with the Knicks at -110 for a B-grade pick that offers better value than the moneyline but still carries risk if Embiid dominates the paint or Maxey authors another MSG classic. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/12/2025 09:48 ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401810237/76ers-knicks))