The early Christmas Day game at MSG is one of my favorite traditions. After we’re done with presents at my house and we’ve had breakfast, I slip away to watch the game in my room and have some much needed alone time before heading out to see the rest of my family.
This year, it’ll be the Philadelphia 76ers visiting the New York Knicks for Christmas. New York is right on the tail of the Sixers in the eastern conference standings. Philly is 19-12 and the Knicks are 18-15 after back-to-back losses.
Here are the odds for the first game of Christmas.
76ers vs. Knicks odds, spread and total
76ers vs. Knicks prediction and pick
The Knicks just had an eight game winning streak, but that feels like old news now after two straight losses. The 76ers are now the team that’s on a roll, winners of seven straight. The Sixers have played the Knicks once this year and lost, 106-104 back at the start of November, but that was without Joel Embiid. That’s obviously tough to overcome. Embiid is averaging 33.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. Last time out he put 44 points on the Clippers who are actually fairly well equipped to defend him with Ivica Zubac.
New York will throw Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein at Embiid, but I don’t think they’ll be able to handle him. They’ll have more of an answer for James Harden who just had 21 assists in that same game. Daryl Morey constructed this team to have a dominant duo and Harden and Embiid are playing like it. They’re also much better on defense, second in the NBA in defensive efficiency behind only Cleveland.
A lot of the Knicks recent win streak came against lesser competition and now that the schedule gets tougher, it seems like water will find its level. I like Philly to win this one and Embiid to have a huge game.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change