Preview: April 20, 2024, Knicks vs. 76ers, Game 1 of the Playoffs

The NBA Playoffs have arrived! Tonight, it’s the New York Knicks (50-32) squaring off against the Philadelphia 76ers (47-35) at Madison Square Garden to commence the first round.

Philadelphia narrowly secured victory over the Miami Heat with a 105-104 win in the play-in game on Wednesday. In their triumph against Jimmy Butler’s squad, the Sixers relied on a standout performance from Joel Embiid, who delivered a 23-point, 15-rebound double-double, along with valuable contributions off the bench, notably 20 points from Nicolas Batum.

Closing out the regular season with an impressive eight-game winning streak, the Sixers are riding high on momentum. Meanwhile, the Knicks wrapped up their regular season campaign strongly, winning six of their last seven games. Having won three out of four matchups against Philly during the season, except for a peculiar 79-73 encounter, the Knicks are entering the playoffs with confidence, particularly after their convincing 106-79 victory over the Sixers on March 12th.

Projected Starters

In his fourth season as a professional player, guard Tyrese Maxey, standing at 6’2” and weighing 200 lbs, maintained an impressive average of 25.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. Despite his notable performance of scoring 35 points against the Knicks on February 22nd, his efforts fell short in securing a win for his team. Tonight, containing Maxey will be a key focus, and should he start to find his rhythm, we’ll see if Tom Thibodeau decides to deploy Deuce McBride to disrupt his momentum.

Leading the Knicks at the guard position, Jalen Brunson averaged 22.3 points and 7.8 assists against the 76ers this season. As the NBA’s fourth-highest scorer, he is expected to not only match but exceed these averages tonight.

Veteran guard Kyle Lowry, standing at 6’0” and weighing 196 lbs, has maintained averages of eight points and 4.6 assists in the 23 games since being traded from Miami to Philadelphia mid-season. Despite his lackluster performances in four games against the Knicks this season, the 38-year-old may have reserved some energy for the playoffs. Starting as the shooting guard for New York, Donte DiVincenzo aims to continue his impressive three-point shooting into the postseason.

Kelly Oubre Jr., standing at 6’7” and weighing 203 lbs, averaged 16.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in four games against the Knicks this season, surpassing his season averages of 15.4 points and 5 rebounds. Oubre’s confident demeanor may invite some physicality, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Josh Hart delivers a tough foul or two. (P.S. Robert Stack wonders if the authorities ever caught the driver who hit Oubre in November?)

Tobias Harris, measuring 6’8” and weighing 226 lbs, has had a somewhat average season in Philadelphia, averaging 17.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists over 70 games. It’s been four years since his standout performance of scoring 34 points against the Knicks in a single game. Against New York this season, he averaged 6.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in four games. Julius Randle’s prowess suggests he would dominate against the declining Harris in this series. Starting at power forward tonight is OG Anunoby, known for his physical presence. Advantage Knicks.

In his last matchup against the Knicks on January 5th, Joel Embiid recorded a double-double with 30 points and 10 rebounds. Despite recovering from knee surgery, he remained a formidable presence in the game against Miami, particularly showcasing his dominance in the fourth quarter to secure the win. As for the Knicks’ center, Isaiah Hartenstein had a commendable performance in his last encounter with Embiid, tallying 17 points, six rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Here’s a compilation of his highlights from that game:

Prediction

ESPN.com is giving the Knicks a 56% chance of winning this matchup, which seems reasonable. The Knicks have consistently been in the postseason picture, and even without Julius Randle, they boast their strongest lineup yet. The primary goal tonight will be to contain Embiid and limit Maxey’s impact. With Oubre expected to contribute 15-20 points and the potential for Buddy Hield to make a significant impact off the bench, alongside the capable coaching of Nick Nurse, the 76ers won’t go down without a fight. However, the prediction leans towards a Knicks victory. The combined efforts of the starting frontcourt duo, Hartenstein and Anunoby, along with the contributions from reserves like Mitchell Robinson and possibly Precious Achiuwa, are anticipated to wear down Embiid and the 76ers in the paint. Brunson is expected to lead the scoring charge with 30 points, while DiVincenzo could chip in with 20, and Josh Hart might secure another double-double. The prediction favors the Knicks by a margin of +4.

Game Details

Matchup: New York Knicks (50-32) vs Philadelphia 76ers (47-35)

Date: Saturday, April 20, 2024

Time: 6:00 PM EST

Location: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York City

TV Broadcast: MSG, ESPN