Sixers open as favorites to advance past Knicks in first-round series odds
A healthy Joel Embiid makes all the difference for Philadelphia in the futures market.
The Philadelphia 76ers were able to rally from a 12-point halftime deficit Wednesday night to defeat the Miami Heat, 105-104, and secure the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
The 76ers have now won nine consecutive games dating back to the final stretch of the regular season and a big reason for Philadelphia’s surge was the return of reigning Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid.
In 38 minutes on Wednesday, Embiid turned in 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists to help Philadelphia rally past Miami. Now, oddsmakers have high hopes for the 76ers despite a low seed in the east.
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!
Sixers open as favorites to advance past Knicks
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the 76ers are a slight favorite over the No. 2 Knicks in the first round of the playoffs at -122 ($100 bet wins $81.97), which is an implied probability of 54.95% that Philadelphia advances to the second round.
Health favors Philadelphia in the matchup, which could be a reason why the 76ers are a slight favorite. The 76ers are 31-8 this season with Embiid on the floor and the Knicks will be without All-Star Julius Randle for the playoffs after it was announced earlier this month that he’ll need season-ending right shoulder surgery.
The Knicks won three of four games over the 76ers during the regular season, though only one of those matchups featured Embiid. Embiid and Tyrese Maxey combined for 57 points on Jan. 5 at Wells Fargo Center but it wasn’t enough as the Knicks shot nearly 44% from 3-point range to run away with a 128-92 victory.
The two conference foes met three times over a four-week stretch after the All-Star break.
Series tips off Saturday
Philadelphia might be a small favorite for the series, but the Knicks are laying points when in Game 1 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Per FanDuel, the Knicks are a 2.5-point favorite.
New York was 21-19-1 ATS at home this season while Philadelphia was 24-17 ATS on the road, including a low-scoring 79-73 win at The Mecca on March 10.
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.