The bright lights of MSG have yet to bring high scores because when the Knicks play at home the total goes UNDER. With the 76ers, who have seen five of their last six games go UNDER, visiting on Friday, don’t expect many points to be scored — again.
- Date/Time: November 29, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Arena: Madison Square Garden
- TV Coverage: TSN 5, MSG, NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus
- Sportsbook Odds: 76ers -7.5 | O/U 210.5
- Sixers vs Knicks Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Philadelphia opened as 7.5-point road favorites, despite their recent ATS struggles, as they have been playing stronger of late, while the Knicks have consistently been one of the NBA’s worst teams all season. The low Sportsbook total, a miniscule 210.5, is in part to New York’s last-ranked offense and the UNDER hitting in eight of their nine home games this year, as well as Philadelphia playing to the UNDER recently also.
Philadelphia News & Notes
Philadelphia’s superstar center, Joel Embiid, suffered his most embarrassing game of his career on Monday: missing all 11 of his shots and all three of his free throws to log zero points in 32 minutes in a road loss to Toronto, the first time he’s gone scoreless in his 172 NBA games.
He bounced-back on Wednesday to score 33 points against Sacramento, his second-highest total of the season, in a 97-91 win. Rookie Matisse Thybulle also added a career-high 15 points, playing extra minutes after shooting guard Josh Richardson left the game at halftime with a hamstring injury.
Richardson is doubtful to play Friday, so expect more minutes again for Thybulle, who’s not known for his scoring but is a ferocious defender. Between him and Embiid patrolling the court, the Knicks are likely going to have to earn every single point the score on the Sixers Friday night.
New York News & Notes
The Knicks may have lost four of their past five games heading into Wednesday’s tilt, but each of those losses came by an average of 3.75 points. And they carried that fighting momentum into Toronto… for one quarter.
New York held an eight-point lead after the first period, but got absolutely blown out the rest of the way, losing by 28 points in a 126-98 drubbing to the defending NBA Champions.
The Knicks now head home to host a Sixers squad they faced just nine days ago, when they lost by five on the road. But Philadelphia is playing better basketball even compared to last week and Joel Embiid, who had 23 points and 12 rebounds in their first tilt, is looking to wreak havoc following his goose egg in Toronto.
New York will have to contain Embiid to have any chance at winning, but even if they succeed… it still likely won’t be enough for this severely-overmatched club.
Betting Pick: UNDER 210
Both teams are in the top half of the league in defense… and the bottom half in offense (with the Knicks dead last). Even with the low total, I don’t see how this game doesn’t go UNDER.
- The UNDER has hit in 10 of the Knicks' last 11 home games.
- The UNDER has hit in 5 of the Sixers' 6 games.
- Philadelphia is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games.
