Loading...
We have an Eastern Conference showdown between two teams that are heading in separate directions. The Tyrese Maxey-led Philadelphia 76ers are taking on Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks. Both teams are in the thick of the playoff hunt now that we are in the back half of the season, making this game a meaningful matchup. Keep reading to find out a season review for each team thus far, a game preview between the two teams and our expert pick.
The 76ers have had a tough season this year that has been riddled with injuries. Their star center, Joel Embiid, has dealt with multiple injuries and is currently dealing with knee issues. They traded for Paul George in the offseason and he has also had a number of injuries. The team currently sits in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 20-37.
Even though they are 17 games under .500, they are just 2.5 games behind the Bulls and the Nets for the 10th seed and the final spot in the Play-in Tournament. The Eastern Conference is weak and the 76ers look to take advantage of that in the back half of the season, even though they are currently on an eight-game losing streak.
The injuries to Paul George and Joel Embiid this season have forced Tyrese Maxey to step up his game. Maxey is having a terrific season, averaging just over 27 points per game and six assists, leading the team in scoring. Maxey can get to his spots and he is a shot maker. On top of that, he is a 35% three-point shooter this season.
However, if the 76ers are going to want to make a run to the Play-in Tournament, they are going to need Paul George to step up and stay healthy. George is averaging just 16 points per game, which is his lowest since the 2014 NBA season. Since coming over to the 76ers, he just has not been able to find a rhythm. George and head coach Nick Nurse need to figure out how to get the best out of him if they are going to make a run.
The Knicks, on the other hand, have had a terrific season after acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns in the offseason. They are in third place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 37-20 and are currently staring at a matchup against the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs.
Towns and Jalen Brunson have been a match made in heaven with their two-man game this year. Both are averaging at least 25 points per game and Towns is averaging 13 rebounds as well. The only issue is, with Towns playing the center position, they do not have a ton of rim protection, as he averages less than one block per game. However, help with that could be coming with Mitchell Robinson on the verge of making his season debut.
While the Knicks are a good team, they are coming off two losses against the Cavaliers and Celtics, who are the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. Against a struggling 76ers team, the Knicks are going to want to make a statement and dominate this game.
Now, looking at this matchup between the 76ers and Knicks, we have seen these teams play each other twice this year. In the first matchup in November, the Knicks won 111-99, led by OG Anunoby, who had 24 points in that game. In the second matchup, the Knicks won again in overtime 125-119 on the back of Brunson scoring 38 points.
Joel Embiid played in the first matchup but was not available for the second and it looks like he will not be there for this game either. In the overtime win for the Knicks, Towns was also unavailable.
With Embiid absent, we expect the Knicks to dominate this game in the paint and on the glass, rebounding the basketball with ease. Expect Towns to have a big night and put up a massive double-double. With that said, our 76ers vs Knicks pick is for New York to pick up the victory and for Towns to grab at least 12 rebounds.
Dylan has had a love for sports since he was a kid. Four years ago, he decided to dive into the sports content-creating industry specializing in Fantasy Football, NFL and NBA. He has since had his work published on sites that include Fantasy Alarm, Fansided, and Fantasy Six Pack.