NBA Playoffs: New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers series preview

ESPN NBA analyst Tim Legler believes that the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks can both make the Eastern Conference Finals. However, they’ll need to get past one another in the first round to do so.

To get ready for the 2-7 matchup in the East, we’ll take a look at the Knicks-76ers series from several different angles. After that, we’ll take a stab at predicting which team will win the series, and in how many games. All statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference.

StatMuse and others have pointed out that the Knicks are 20-3 with O.G. Anunoby this season. His relentless defensive pressure and ability to be effective offensively without commanding the ball has fit New York’s style perfectly. Isaiah Hartenstein assumed starting center duties when Mitchell Robinson went down, and the New York Post believes he’s in line for a huge payday this offseason.

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Philadelphia’s attack has fallen into place with the return of Joel Embiid. His production on the post, as well the attention he attracts, opens up shots for other players. One such beneficiary is Tobias Harris, who thrives as more of a complementary option when the defense is not focused on him.

The Philadelphia Inquirer pointed out that the 76ers are going to ride momentum and the health of Embiid into the playoffs. The center’s ability to remain healthy in prior postseasons has come into question, but Philadelphia should have the edge up front with one of the best players in the NBA anchoring that unit.

Old Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo have been a fantastic fit alongside one another in New York’s starting lineup. Brunson figures to get some votes for MVP, as The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo already indicated he would get a vote from them. DiVincenzo made the most threes in a season in Knicks history this year, with 283.

Philadelphia has an All-Star point guard in their own right in Tyrese Maxey. While his skills are most impressive, his demeanor is also refreshing. Former Philadelphia head coach Doc Rivers told ClutchPoints that Maxey “never has a bad day,” and is a guy that “made him (Rivers) love coaching.” It’s going to be interesting to see who the 76ers start at shooting guard in the first round.

Brunson continues to prove that he’s one of the best closers in the NBA, which helps tip the scale towards New York in this area. Additionally, DiVincenzo’s prowess from deep gives New York a wild card shooter that could get hot in any game of the series.

Thibodeau receives his fair share of criticism, as Sports Illustrated and SportsNet New York have talked about his penchant for playing his starters too many minutes. While there may be some merit to that, he also deserves credit for steadying a Knicks team that dealt with a barrage of injuries during the second half of the season.

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Philadelphia brought Nurse in this season with the sole purpose of making a deep run in the playoffs. Nurse has some experience in that department, having led the Toronto Raptors to an NBA title in 2019. The Philadelphia Inquirer took a deeper dive into Nurse’s playoff resume before the 76ers tipoff their first round series.

Both coaches have a lot of valuable experience, but Nurse may get the slight edge considering he’s been to the promised land before as a head man. While he may have an advantage, he might also have more pressure on him, considering that he was hired to do something his predecessors could not.

Somewhat quietly, New York has carved out a well-rounded second unit. It remains to be seen how much Thibodeau will utilize them, but Mitchell Robinson’s return helps ensure that there will be little to no drop off defensively at center for the Knicks. Additionally, Miles McBride has been an unsung hero for the Knicks during the second half of the year.

Nurse is going to have a lot of players to call on to mix and match with during the first round. We’ll see who he deploys at starting shooting guard, but bringing Cameron Payne, Buddy Hield and Paul Reed off the bench isn’t a bad place to start. De’Anthony Melton, KJ Martin and Ricky Council IV could also see meaningful minutes.

McBride told the New York Post that he’s ready to do whatever it takes to help the Knicks win in his first true usage in the NBA playoffs. In their play-in game against the Miami Heat, it was Philadelphia’s bench that helped them get back into the contest. The potential impact both benches can have on this series is relatively comparable.

Josh Hart has been the jack of all trades for New York since Julius Randle went down with a season-ending shoulder injury on January 27. The New York Post called him the team’s heartbeat, and he’ll need to continue chipping in with a variety of production.

There’s a case to be made that Knicks-76ers is the most competitive first round series in the East, so it should be a fun watch for NBA fans. Despite some adversity, New York appears to have found an identity with a myriad of unheralded players. The Knicks also feature a strong center tandem that can limit the damage Embiid can inflict in this series.

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