New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers 3/2/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Predictions
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New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers Matchup Preview (3/2/22)
Two teams from the Atlantic Division, the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers, will battle on Wednesday night. James Harden is now playing for Philly, and in his first two games for the Sixers, he has averaged 28 points, 14 assists, and nine rebounds. When Harden was in Brooklyn, he averaged just over ten assists per game; however, there were not near as many weapons around him there, especially after Durant was injured. Harden changes the trajectory of this Sixers team; they went from being a tough “out” in the playoffs to a true championship contender. The New York Knicks are losers of five straight games and look like they may continue to fall out of the playoff picture. As a matter of fact, they are ruling Kemba Walker out for the rest of the 2021-22 NBA season to continue to improve his physical health. Luckily, R.J. Barrett has been playing his best basketball ever, so it’s not completely hopeless in New York for the future. Check out the betting odds section below for my prediction and bets for this game!
New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers Betting Odds
In Harden’s first two games playing for Philly, the Sixers have looked dominant, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves by 31 points and the New York Knicks by 16 points. It will be the second-straight game against New York, and I would imagine another double-digit victory with relative ease. The spread should be double-digits, but if it is in single digits for whatever reason, then I will be all over the Sixers against the spread.
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How To Watch
Date: 3/2/22
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Arena: Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA
Channel: ESPN
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New York Knicks Starting Lineup
PG: Alec Burks
SG: Quentin Grimes
SF: Evan Fournier
PF: Julius Randle
C: Mitchell Robinson
New York Knicks Analysis
It is hard to watch what is going on in New York right now, even if you are not a die-hard fan of the Knicks. They have dropped five straight games and nine of their past ten; it is embarrassing, especially considering they made the playoffs last season. The only positive right now for New York is the play of R.J. Barrett, who has been impressive over the past few months. Barrett’s season averages are still not amazing, but his averages closely resemble All-Star caliber numbers over the past 17 games. He has posted nearly 25 points, six rebounds, and three assists per game during that span, despite the Knicks struggling. The Knicks are not a good enough team right now to be competitive in such a loaded Eastern Conference, and it does not help that they are playing unmotivated basketball. Something has to change, whether with the roster in the off-season, the players’ mentalities, or the coaching situation with Tom Thibodeau. If the Knicks don’t make a splash, then the irrelevancy of what was once one of the premier destinations in basketball will continue.
Philadelphia 76ers Starting Lineup
PG: Tyrese Maxey
SG: James Harden
SF: Matisse Thybulle
PF: Tobias Harris
C: Joel Embiid
Philadelphia 76ers Analysis
Suddenly, Philly may be a legitimate championship contender after adding James Harden. The truth is that before the huge, blockbuster trade, there was very little chance of the Sixers making an NBA Finals, let alone beating the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, or Memphis Grizzlies once they got there. The Sixers have won both games since James Harden got to Philly, beating the Timberwolves by 31 points and New York Knicks by 16. Instead of playing New York on the road, they will host the Knicks. There is so much firepower on Philly now that it is hard to imagine it losing to the Knicks, regardless of how well the Knicks play. To make matters worse for New York, it will not have Nerlens Noel, Quentin Grimes, Derrick Rose, or Kemba Walker. Philly should cruise to a top seed in the Eastern Conference by the end of the season, assuming it can keep its key players such as Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, James Harden, Matisse Thybulle, and Tyrese Maxey at full health.
New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers Daily Fantasy Picks
It has been an incredibly productive second half of the 2021-22 NBA season for R.J. Barrett. Barrett has stepped up and proved that he is the future of this Knicks roster, which has been even more apparent in recent games. On February 25th, against the Miami Heat, Barrett went nuclear, dropping 46 points, nine rebounds, and two assists on only 22 field goal attempts! Barrett had a strong follow-up performance in his last game against the Philadelphia 76ers, posting 24 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Barrett has averaged 18.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game; however, he has been much better recently, averaging just shy of 24 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Barrett has posted a 46-point game and a 36-point game in just his past five games, and he has done it occasionally against teams with impressive defenses. Considering how the rest of your lineup is constructed, consider plugging in Barrett because he could go for another massive performance.
James Harden is finally where he wants to play, and I am sure that his level of happiness has eclipsed a ten on a 1-10 scale. Harden has immediately performed well for the Sixers, and we should see this continue over the coming weeks. During the 2021-22 season, Harden has averaged roughly 22 points, ten assists, and eight rebounds, but his first two games in Philly have shown us that we can expect more. In his first two games in a Sixers uniform, Harden has averaged 28 points, 14 assists, and nine rebounds. Surely, everyone reading this is aware of just how ridiculous those numbers are. Truthfully, I could see Harden having similar results against a struggling Knicks team, so consider forking over a substantial salary on Harden; it should be worth it!
