The Philadelphia 76ers would take a big step forward in their much-maligned rebuilding process if they can make the playoffs this season. In order to do so they will need to leapfrog a few teams along the way. One in their sights is the New York Knicks, so the 76ers would love to pull a game closer with a win when these teams face off this week.
New York has the superior record and the home court advantage, so it will be the team to beat in this game. The Knicks have been very good at home thus far and will aim to continue that trend.
This is an important game for both sides and it could be a close one.
This war on the floor will go down Monday, December 25, 2017, at 12 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Monday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The 76ers are 14-17 overall and 16-14-1 against the spread on the season. They have gone on the road 15 times and have covered in eight of them with one push. Philadelphia is 8-4-1 as the underdog on the year so it is staying competitive when the oddsmakers don’t like the team’s chances.
The Knicks are 16-14 straight up and 17-13 against the spread. They have covered an impressive 14 times out of 19 at home and are 7-2 against the spread as the favorite.
Player to Watch
Joel Embiid — The 76ers are hoping for just one thing on Christmas this year — the return of their star center. Embiid has missed the last three games with a sore back and will likely to sit out the remainder of the week, but is expected to return for the Christmas Day matchup against New York.
Embiid, who has been plagued by injuries early in his NBA career, is having his best season to date and is a huge part of this 76ers squad this season. He has missed eight games this season in total and Philadelphia is 1-7 without Embiid on the court.
The 23-year-old is averaging 24.1 points and 11 rebounds this season. He had a breakout performance against the Clippers last month, finishing with 46 points and 15 rebounds in the win. Embiid hopes this injury isn’t a sign of things to come as he aims to shake the injury-prone label moving forward.
Keep a close eye on his status.
Key Stat
25.5. That’s how many points per game Kristaps Porzingis is averaging so far this season for the Knicks. The 22-year-old, now the clear leader on the court of the team, is having little pressure handling the spotlight upon him in the wake of trading Carmelo Anthony.
In fact, he is thriving in his new role. Porzingis has missed the last two games with a knee injury, but is expected to return in time for this matchup against the 76ers, which is really good news for the Knicks since Philadelphia is also expected to have its best player in the lineup too.
Porzingis currently sits eighth on the list of the league’s leading scorers and with his increased production this season, the Knicks are competitive again. As a unit, New York’s offense is averaging 104.3 points a game.
Free NBA ATS Picks
New stars are emerging for these teams and the arrow seems to be pointing in the right direction for each. It would be a nice accomplishment for the Knicks to make the playoffs as well, so each side would be well-served to pick up this win.
As long as both teams are at full strength, the choice is the home team, although Philly is good enough to keep this one close and covered the spread.
NBA Odds: Knicks 106, 76ers 103
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