The Philadelphia 76ers (1-0) are in the Big Apple Saturday to play the New York Knicks (0-1) in an Atlantic Division matchup at Madison Square Garden. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the 76ers-Knicks NBA betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
76ers at Knicks: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:45 p.m. ET.
- Money line: 76ers -375 (bet $375 to win $100) | Knicks +300 (bet $100 to win $300)
- Against the spread/ATS: 76ers -8.5 (-105) | Knicks +8.5 (-115)
- Over/Under: 215.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
76ers at Knicks: Key Injuries
Knicks
- SG Immanuel Quickley (hip) doubtful
- PG Austin Rivers (groin) out
- PF Omari Spellman (knee) out
- F Obi Toppin (calf) doubtful
Special NBA Betting Promotion!
Place a $1 bet on either team’s money line, WIN an additional $100 (in free bets) if either team hits a 3-pointer during the game today. Promotion available in CO, IN, NJ, TN and WV.
PA residents, don’t miss BetMGM’s risk-free, first-bet offer! MI residents, BetMGM is coming to your state soon – register early for special promotion. Place your legal, online sports bets at BetMGM! Terms and conditions apply. Bet now!
76ers at Knicks: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
76ers 110, Knicks 104
Money line (ML)
PASS even though I’ll typically sprinkle some cash on an underdog’s money line when I’m betting it plus points. Not to be overly reactionary, but these NBA games have been very lopsided—the five Christmas games had an average final margin of 23.2 points. So, if you like an underdog, there could be something to just taking the money line since these contests have sputtered on the losing sides.
Against the spread (ATS)
I’ll just ignore what I wrote in the previous section and take KNICKS +8.5 (-115) for 1 unit. Philadelphia struggled to cover vs. New York last season, going 4-0 straight-up but only covering once.
C Joel Embiid averaged 25.0 points and 14.5 rebounds in the two games he played against the Knicks last season but only shot 36.8% from the field and 9.1% from deep. If Knicks C Mitchell Robinson can clog the middle and force Embiid to settle for contested jumpers, New York can steal this game.
Plus, while home-court advantages are still being calculated by the gambling community, the 76ers were well-known for poor play on the road. Since 2018, Philadelphia is just 13-24-1 ATS as an away favorite and its struggles away from home last season were well documented (9-23-2 ATS in road games last season).
We have a fade the market spot as close to 90% of the money is on the 76ers, which has pushed this line from Philadelphia laying 6 points in the opening line to the current price, according to Pregame.com.
Over/Under (O/U)
Let’s source market action again with the 76ers-Knicks total. 87% of the money wagered is on the Under but 54% of the bets placed are on the Over. The money column of betting market reports is generally the sharp side, while the percentage of tickets is the public money.
However, I am waiting to see if the shooting across the league improves in crowd-less arenas. Philadelphia gave up the most 3-point attempts last season and the Knicks shot 42.9% from deep against the Pacers on Dec. 23.
Officially, I “lean” UNDER 216.5 (-110) for a quarter-unit.
Want some action on this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
Also see:
- Bell Ringer Podcast: 76ers’ season preview, predictions (Sixers Hype)
- Knicks rumors (Hoops Hype)
- Eastern Conference rankings for 2020-21 (Hoops Hype)
Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1368]