76ers: Ranking the team’s biggest threats in the Atlantic Division this year

Feb 11, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) controls the ball against Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris (12) and guard Ben Simmons (10) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) controls the ball against Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris (12) and guard Ben Simmons (10) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
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Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson – Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

New York Knicks

The Knicks finished in 3rd place amongst the rest of the Atlantic division last season. They would end up as the 5th seed, and proceeded to upset the 4th seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. They would later match up against the Miami heat in the second round, but eventually lost the series 4-2.

Their big free agency move acquiring Jalen Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks would turn out to be a perfect fit for New York. The Villanova product provided the Knicks with the idealistic point guard play that they’ve long been in search for.

While they may have not made any major moves this offseason, they were able to keep all of their core players from last year’s roster, with the addition of Brunson’s former Villanova teammate Donte DiVincenzo to the bench. New York has depth and multiple quality 3-point shooters, they could certainly be a challenge for many teams on any given night.

Embiid has historically dominated New York

Like every other superstar in the league, the games against New York are always a superstars opportunity to put on a show. Embiid is certainly no exception. The big fella averaged 33.7 points per game and 11 rebounds against the Knicks last season.

Although this team’s depth could present some challenges, as long as Embiid stays available, they’ll always be the favorites of that matchup.

Not to mention, there’s been a ton of offseason speculation that New York could potentially be his next destination if things don’t pan out for him in Philadelphia. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if Joel Embiid used these games as an opportunity to respond to these rumors.