The first Emirates NBA Cup video games tip on Friday, and the highlight will be on Philadelphia where the 76ers host the Knicks. The Sixers spoiled opening evening for the Knicks last week, and the ‘Bockers will look to return the favor while getting back to .500 on the season.
Odds for this tilt are mainly a choose’em, with the 76ers listed as 1.5-point favorites at some books while the Knicks are 1.5-point favorites at others.
Knicks vs. 76ers prediction, best guess
It took 5 video games, but the Knicks finally look like they are knocking off the rust after a shaky begin. The championship hangover is beginning to subside as the Knicks used the first handful of video games of the common season as an prolonged preseason.
It’s abundantly clear when watching this crew that they didn’t play a ton of basketball collectively in the offseason. Passes on cuts have gone into the third row, screens aren’t always strong, and defensive miscues pop up more continuously than we saw in the playoffs.
It’s also clear that they can still flip the swap in an immediate — they were down 19 factors to the Bulls halfway through the third quarter, then outscored them by 25 factors the relaxation of the method.
Now they get a rematch with Philly a little over a week after being reminded that last season’s dream run has ended.
The key for the Knicks will be slowing down Tyrese Maxey, which is about as simple as getting a car to sluggish down on the autobahn. Maxey torched the Knicks for 28 factors in the opener and even made some key defensive performs in the win.
Betting on the NBA?
The Knicks shot 37 p.c from the flooring, gave up 22 factors on 14 turnovers, and were still in vary to win the recreation down the stretch. The distinction was Jalen Brunson lacking photographs he usually makes, but the captain appears to be like like he discovered his type in Chicago after a 38-point evening.
The Sixers have leaned on their protection, but their offensive id isn’t absolutely fashioned yet — they rank twenty seventh offensively through 5 video games — and the Knicks have a higher thought of how to attack them.
I like the Knicks on the moneyline in a Friday evening thriller.
The Pick: Knicks moneyline (-102, bet365)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports activities betting industry since 2017. He’s a information nerd with a explicit focus on the NBA and fight sports activities. He spends his weeknights in the winter wanting for edges on plus-money NBA participant props.
Source hyperlink
