76ers vs Knicks Odds & Picks for NBA Christmas Day
- The 76ers and Knicks kick off NBA Christmas Day at MSG
- Philly is a slim 1.5-point favorite here
- Keep reading for the odds, preview, and 76ers vs Knicks prediction
NBA Christmas on Sunday kicks off bright and early with a marquee matchup in the Eastern Conference as the Philadelphia 76ers (19-12, 5-7 away) head to the Big Apple to face the New York Knicks (18-15, 8-9 home) at the iconic Madison Square Garden. The tip-off is scheduled for 12 PM ET on ESPN. Find the 76ers vs Knicks prediction below.
The Sixers just won their seventh game in a row Friday night, beating the Los Angeles Clippers at home. The Knicks on the other hand, lost a close one to the Chicago Bulls but are still 8-2 in their last 10 outings.
76ers vs Knicks Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers | -1.5 (-110) | -120 | Ov 218.5 (-110) |
| New York Knicks | +1.5 (-110) | +102 | Un 218.5 (-110) |
Odds as of December 24th at FanDuel Sportsbook. Unlock the FanDuel promo code for NBA Christmas Day.
The 76ers are a very slim 1.5-point favorite with moneyline odds of -120. That’s a 54.55% chance of coming out victorious. The Knicks come back at +102 for an implied win probability of 49.50%.
This is the second meeting of the campaign, with New York winning a 106-104 nailbiter back in early November.
Philly is Hot
No Tyrese Maxey, no problem. James Harden and Joel Embiid are balling out at the moment and have the Sixers trending in the right direction. Doc Rivers’ squad is now up to 19-12 on the season and during this current winning run, they’ve beaten the Lakers, Warriors, Raptors, and most recently, the Clippers.
Embiid went off for 44 points at Wells Fargo in front of the Philly faithful, going 18 for 30 from the field. The Beard was just as important in this victory though, posting an insane stat line of 20 points, 21 assists, and 11 rebounds. That triple-double matched a franchise record previously set by Wilt Chamberlain.
James Harden tonight:
20 PTS
11 REB
21 ASTHe joins Wilt as the only Sixers players ever with a 20/10/20 triple-double. pic.twitter.com/T0SsXS0XjA
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 24, 2022
The Sixers really shot the ball well here, draining 41% of their triples. They also destroyed the Clips in the paint, outscoring them 58-28. There is a chance that Maxey could return from a foot injury Sunday, but nothing is certain at this point. Whether it happens or not, Philadelphia is clearly in good hands with Emibid and Harden killing the competition right now.
Knicks Finding Their Way
New York might be losers of two straight games, but prior, they had won eight consecutive contests. The Knicks are fundamentally sound on both ends, ranking in the top-10 in both offensive and defensive rating. The arrival of Jalen Brunson has really done wonders for this group. The guard is their best player, averaging 20.4 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per night. Julius Randle leads the team with 22.5 points, 9.3 boards, and 3.6 assists, too.
It wasn’t the best night for Brunson on Friday, though. He scored just 12 points in 38 minutes of action and missed a pair of costly free-throws that would’ve put NY ahead late in the fourth. Instead, it gave DeMar DeRozan the chance to drain a go-ahead jumper. RJ Barrett showed out for a season-high 44 points however while Randle added 29 points and 12 rebounds as well.
DeRozan caused Jalen Brunson to miss two free throws then called GAME 👀 pic.twitter.com/EIA47SJPvf
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 24, 2022
This loss simply came down to not finding that clutch bucket in crunch time. Tom Thibodeau’s squad shot 46% from deep and 50% from the field, but their 11 missed freebies definitely played a part in the outcome. With a victory Sunday, the Knicks can move to .500 at home.
76ers vs Knicks Prediction
Considering the way Philly’s star duo is playing lately and their impressive win streak, I’m taking the Sixers. Plus, they’ve taken two of the last three against New York.
Pick: 76ers -1.5 (-110)
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Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
