Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks 10/26/21: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Live Stream

Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks Matchup Preview (10/26/21)

The Sixers roll into Madison Square Garden after a quick road trip to take on the New York Knicks, who lost a tough game against the Orlando Magic. The Knicks and Sixers boast a 2-1 record through their first three games; they are also 2-1 against the spread. Philadelphia’s only loss is against the Brooklyn Nets, which is by no means a bad loss. Meanwhile, New York beat the Boston Celtics in double overtime and then split in its two games against the Orlando Magic. Losing to the Magic is not exactly what the Knicks are hoping for, especially in a competitive Eastern Conference.

Since it is still early in the season, neither team has a significant amount of injuries. Still, the Sixers will again be without Ben Simmons, who was deemed not mentally ready to play by Philadelphia’s medical staff, and Shake Milton, who has been battling a right ankle injury for several weeks. Additionally, Andre Drummond is day-to-day with an ankle injury, as well. Drummond missed the Sixers’ last action on Sunday night. Drummond has been a monster through his first two games with Philadelphia, pulling down ten rebounds and 17 rebounds. Philadelphia is more apt to avoid depth issues since it deploys several players at several positions and values a positionless roster. The Knicks may be without Nerlens Noel; although, his status still seems to point to being questionable. They are deep at that position, so New York will manage if Noel cannot go.

Philadelphia will need to apply more defensive pressure than it has thus far to win in “The Garden.” Currently, it ranks 16th in both defensive efficiency and opponent field goal percentage. This won’t cut it long-term, especially since the Sixers ranked second in defensive efficiency last season. The Knicks can win with huge games from their guards and a strong overall defensive effort. Randle and Embiid will similarly impact the game, so it will be up to New York’s guards to knock down shots and guard the perimeter, especially Curry and Green.

Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks Betting Odds

As of the time this article has been written, odds have not been posted on any major sportsbooks. The spread on this one could lean either way, but not more than a few points. I believe that the matchup favors the Knicks because they are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA and should force the Sixers into contested shots. Philly has shot well this season, ranking second in 3P% (three-point percentage) through its first three games; however, Seth Curry can’t keep up the hot streak he is on forever. It should be a close game until the end.

TV Schedule

Date: 10/26/21
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Arena: Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Channel: TNT

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Philadelphia 76ers Starting Lineup

PG: Tyrese Maxey
SG: Seth Curry
SF: Danny Green
PF: Tobias Harris
C: Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers Analysis

The Sixers have started the season as good as they could have hoped after all of the internal drama in their organization. The players have done well so far in zoning in on their objective and zoning out on the media attention. Philadelphia is 2-1 and ranks third in offensive efficiency, fifth in field goal percentage, and second in three-point percentage through three games. Embiid has not started this 2021-22 season as strongly as he did last season; however, the supporting cast is picking up the slack quite easily. Seth Curry is one of those players, as he is averaging an incomprehensible 68.8% from the field and 76.5% from three. Curry may not average 20.3 points per game for the whole season, but if he does when Embiid isn’t playing his best, then the Sixers will still be a terrifying team, despite not having Ben Simmons.

New York Knicks Starting Lineup

PG: Kemba Walker
SG: Evan Fournier
SF: R.J. Barrett
PF: Julius Randle
C: Mitchell Robinson

New York Knicks Analysis

New York dropped its first loss of the season at home against the Orlando Magic on Sunday. While this is a bad loss, the Knicks have looked promising so far this season. They rank third in points per game, tenth in offensive efficiency, and fifth in opponent field goal percentage. Julius Randle has been a monster so far; he averages the most points and assists per game and the second-most rebounds per game on his team. Randle is one of the few players that an entire offense runs through: his presence is paramount to the Knicks’ performance. Newcomer, Evan Fournier, has also been terrific for the Knicks. Fournier has averaged shy of 20 points per game so far, and this production should continue. Mitchell Robinson leads the team in rebounds with 12 per game; however, Randle is not far behind in that category.

Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks Daily Fantasy Picks

Julius Randle is the most obvious choice for your DFS team if you need a superstar to carry your team. Randle is posting even better numbers so far this year than he was last season, averaging 28.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. He has been a menace on offense and defense, and this should continue, especially if he improves upon his shooting from deep (29.2%) and from the field (43.3%) through his first three games. Randle is a workhorse everywhere on the floor and a perfect player for Tom Thibodeau due to his toughness, skill, and lack of drama. This year, it would not shock me if he improved in every statistical category, even after an awe-inspiring Most Improved Player campaign.

Seth Curry has been absolutely unconscious through the Sixers’ first three games of the 2021-22 season. He averages 20.3 points per game on 68.8% from the field and 76.5% from behind the arc. While these shooting averages have a 0% chance of continuing throughout the season, this still tells how Curry fits within the system and how much the other players trust him. Harris will likely take over soon as the No. 2 scorer in this offense behind Embiid, but Curry should absolutely be the third-leading scorer throughout the year.