New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers Expert Pick – February 22, 2024

NEW YORK KNICKS VS. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS EXPERT PICK – FEBRUARY 22, 2024 — Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Godzilla Wins. One of the games on tap from Thursday’s slate features the New York Knicks (33-22 SU, 30-24-1 ATS) taking on the Philadelphia 76ers (32-22 SU, 31-23 ATS).

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

When: Thursday, February 22, 2024

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Where: Wells Fargo Center

Location: Philadelphia, PA

TV: NBCS-PH and MSG

Related: Celtics vs. Bulls Expert Pick

New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers — Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Can The Knicks Snap Their Four-Game Losing Skid?

 New York Knicks Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 114.5 PPG – 17^TH
• Offensive Efficiency: 118.7 points per 100 possessions – 9^TH
• Scoring Defense: 109.9 PPG – 3^RD                
• Defensive Efficiency: 114.0 points per 100 possessions – 9^TH

The Knicks occupy the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They have posted five wins across their last 10 outings but enter this matchup amid a four-game losing streak.

This includes a 118-100 loss to the Orlando Magic on Valentine’s Day. Jalen Brunson set the tone for the Knicks’ offense as he finished with 33 points, six assists, and two steals. He shot 11-for-21 from the floor and 5-for-8 from beyond the arc.

Precious Achiuwa had a solid outing as well, finishing with 23 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists. Alec Burks contributed 13 points but converted just five of his 16 attempts from the field.

Led by Paolo Banchero’s 36-point outburst, Orlando shot 63.2 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from 3-point range.

“He’s an All-Star. You’ve got to guard a guy like that with your team,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said, via ESPN. “And he made his 3s. That was a big thing. But he gets into the paint. He’s big, he’s strong and he has a good mix of shots.”

Having a week off for the All-Star break could not have come at a better time for a Knicks team that fielded just nine players against Orlando, and it will be interesting to see if they can get back on track against a Sixers squad missing its centerpiece at both ends of the floor.

Can The Sixers Hand The Injury-Riddled Knicks A Fifth Straight Loss?

 Philadelphia 76ers Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 118.3 PPG – 9^TH
• Offensive Efficiency: 119.3 points per 100 possessions – 6^TH    
• Scoring Defense: 113.9 PPG – 25^TH
• Defensive Efficiency: 114.9 points per 100 possessions – 12^TH

Despite Joel Embiid being out of the rotation for the next several weeks, the Sixers are in the fifth spot and trail the Knicks by just a half-game in the standings. Unfortunately, they have produced only three wins across their last 10 decisions.

This includes a 109-104 loss to the Miami Heat on Feb. 14. Tyrese Maxey paced the Sixers with 30 points, seven assists, and six rebounds.

Buddy Hield – who the Sixers acquired in a three-team trade – finished with 22 points, and 10 assists, while knocking down five of his 11 attempts from long range.

Philadelphia is 6-14 without Embiid this season. Not only that, but the team averages eight points less per contest when the reigning MVP is out of the lineup. In a contest between two short-handed ball clubs, the Knicks will right the ship in what will be a competitive battle between division rivals.

Now that we have set the table for this Eastern Conference showdown, let’s look at the betting trends for both sides.

The Spread

The Sixers opened as a consensus 1.5-point favorite. At the time of this writing, the line has dipped to one point. Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season.

• The Knicks are 0-6 ATS in their last six contests.
• New York is a perfect 5-0 ATS in its last fast matchups against Atlantic Division opponents.
• In their last five games February games, the Knicks are 0-5 against the spread.
• The Sixers are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games overall.
• Philadelphia has failed to cover the spread in each of its last six outings at home.
• In their last seven matchups against Eastern Conference teams, the Sixers are 2-5 against the spread.

Both squads have struggled as of late, and neither team has played overly well against the spread. Without their MVP center in the lineup, points are not that easy to come by for the Sixers. With that sentiment in mind, going with the road team to cover the small spread is the best play here.

Prediction: New York Knicks (+1)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 226.5 points. At the time of this writing, the line has not moved. Here is why going with the “under” is the smart choice.

• The total has gone UNDER 13 times in the Knicks’ last 17 contests.
• The UNDER total cashed in four times in New York’s last five road games.
• In the Knicks’ last 12 matchups against Eastern Conference teams, the UNDER total hit 10 times.
• The total has gone UNDER four times in the Sixers’ last six outings.
• The UNDER total has prevailed 10 times in Philadelphia’s last 15 matchups against New York.
• In the Sixers’ last 11 Thursday home games, the UNDER total is 9-2.

Prediction: UNDER 226.5 points

Team Prop Bets

Every so often, there are instances in which no player prop bets are available for either team. And this is one of those rare occurrences. Not to worry, though, we will go in a different direction by focusing on the team prop bets instead.

The Knicks have -105 odds of scoring more than 113.5 points and -125 odds of finishing with less than 113.5 points.

Here is a glance to see how the team’s numbers compare to the projected points total for this matchup.

• During the season, the Knicks are averaging 114.5 points per game.
• In 28 road contests this season, New York is averaging 114.8 PPG.
• The Knicks have played against Eastern Conference teams 34 times this season. In those contests, they are averaging 115 points per outing.
• In nine matchups against Atlantic Division opponents, New York averages 118.1 points per game.
• Over their last 10 outings, the Knicks are averaging 111.5 points per game, while exceeding the points total for this matchup three times during that stretch.

Prediction: New York Knicks OVER 113.5 points

The Sixers have -115 odds of scoring more than 113.5 points and -115 odds of finishing with less than 113.5 points.

Let us look closer to see how their season numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup.

• During the season, the Sixers are averaging 118.3 points per game.
• In 26 road contests this season, Philly is averaging 117.5 PPG.
• The Sixers have played against Eastern Conference teams 35 times this season. In those contests, they are averaging 118.9 points per outing.
• In nine matchups against Atlantic Division opponents, Philadelphia averages 112.8 points per game.
• Over their last 10 outings, the Sixers are averaging 113.2 points per game, while exceeding the points total for this matchup five times during that stretch.

Prediction: Philadelphia 76ers OVER 113.5 points