Demoralizing is the best way to describe how the Philadelphia 76ers must have felt after walking out of Madison Square Garden earlier this week down 2-0 in their first-round series against the New York Knicks.
Philadelphia squandered a five-point lead in the final minute of regulation and the late-game collapse has the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs in a must-win scenario for Game 3 of the series Thursday night at Wells-Fargo Center.
The 76ers are a modest favorite with their backs against the wall for Game 3. Can they pull out a win to start a comeback in the series? Or will the Knicks effectively put the series away with a road victory?
Using the latest betting odds, here’s an attempt to predict the final score for Game 3 of Knicks-Sixers.
Knicks vs. Sixers odds, spread and total
Knicks vs. Sixers NBA expert prediction and pick
Earlier today, the handicap for this pivotal Game 3 tilt was centered around Philadelphia’s desperation overcoming the Knicks. That’s why we took the 76ers spread in a must-win game to keep their season alive after playing well enough to win on the road.
The 76ers have not lost three consecutive games with reigning Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid on the floor this season, which is likely one of the reasons why the 76ers’ big man was so adamant about his team’s chances at a comeback following the crushing Game 2 defeat.
The Knicks have been excellent on the road this season going 23-18 straight up, but those numbers don’t look as great when New York is a road underdog (11-12-1 ATS).
On the other hand, Philadelphia has a 20-16 ATS mark this season following a loss and have been great inside Wells Fargo Center (21-12 ATS). Remember, less than two weeks ago the 76ers were turning into the darlings of the futures market after getting Embiid back in the lineup and winning its final four home games by an average of 13.7 points.
Knicks vs. Sixers final score prediction
Philadelphia’s star tandem of Embiid and Maxey played well enough to win at Madison Square Garden while the 76ers’ bench players really dropped the ball. The Sixers got just 10 bench points in their Game 2 loss and Buddy Hield, a double-digit scorer on average, has been a complete no show with just one made field goal so far in the series.
New York’s complimentary pieces have done the opposite as evident by Josh Hart’s eight 3-pointers in two games to offset what has been a brutal shooting display from star guard Jalen Brunson (16-for-55) so far.
A return home for Philly is just what the doctor ordered to get back on track. They do that on Thursday in a must-win spot against a good Knicks’ defense that gives up six more points per game on the road than they do at MSG.
Final score prediction: 76ers 109, Knicks 101
If you’re looking to bet on any game in the NBA tonight, FanDuel Sportsbook has an amazing promotional offer. New users who sign up with the link below and wager $5 will receive $150 in bonus bets!
Sign up for FanDuel now!
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.