New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers Game 3 Preview, Picks & Odds for Friday, May 8, 2026

By Braxton Reynolds | May 07, 2026, 8:25pm

Game 3 between the New York Knicks (2-0) and Philadelphia 76ers (0-2) is scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern on Amazon Prime. No team in NBA history has ever come back from down 3-0 in the series, so it’s a must-win game for Philadelphia.

Joel Embiid and Mitchell Robinson are both questionable to play after missing Game 2. ESPN’s Shams Charania also reported that “OG Anunoby has been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain and will be day to day…He is listed as questionable for Game 3 on Friday against Philadelphia.”

Although Anunoby has a questionable tag, it seems very unlikely that he’s able to suit up two days after sustaining a hamstring strain. Each case is different, but Jalen Williams has not played since suffering a Grade 1 hamstring strain on April 22.

Knicks vs. 76ers Betting Analysis

Philadelphia held Jalen Brunson to 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting from the field, but New York still won Game 2 by six points. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges were both excellent on offense and defense.

Karl-Anthony Towns also posted 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. However, the 6x All-Star only logged 27 minutes because he got into foul trouble again. Towns has now picked up eight fouls in 47 minutes this series, which is an extremely high rate. Will it send the Knicks packing this series? Probably not, but Towns’ fouls could be an issue in the Eastern Conference Finals or NBA Finals.

On the other side, Philadelphia played smaller lineups in Game 2 with Embiid sidelined and Andre Drummond and Adem Bona in foul trouble. It allowed Tyrese Maxey to find more mismatches, and the 76ers actually tied the Knicks during Maxey’s 46 minutes.

If Embiid returns and Anunoby misses a few games, then the 76ers are still in this series.

The best bet for Game 3 is taking the 76ers to cover the 1.5-point spread. Anunoby is crucial for the Knicks on both sides of the court, and it’s hard to imagine him playing in Game 3. Even if he returns, he will be far from healthy. Plus, it’s a must-win game for the 76ers, while the Knicks just need to split the next two contests. Philadelphia should have more urgency and fight.

Knicks vs. 76ers Best Bet, Pick & Prediction

Best Bet: 76ers -1.5 (-112)
Score Prediction: 76ers 109, Knicks 103

Knicks vs. 76ers Game Odds

Knicks vs. 76ers Game Information

Date: Friday, May 8, 2026
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Network: APVO
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Venue: Xfiinity Mobile Arena – 229.9 ppg; 20-24-1 O/U
Series Score: Knicks 2-0

Knicks vs. 76ers Betting Resources

Knicks vs. 76ers Key Players

Knicks

Jalen Brunson – Last Game: 26 points, 1 rebound, 6 assists
Karl-Anthony Towns – Last Game: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists
OG Anunoby – Last Game: 24 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists

76ers

Tyrese Maxey – Last Game: 26 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists
Joel Embiid – Last Game: 14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist
Paul George – Last Game: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists

Braxton Reynolds

Braxton has been covering the NBA for Lineups since the 2022 season. He's worked with multiple collegiate coaching staffs regarding analytics and scouting, which has allowed him to understand the game on a deeper level. Braxton also currently writes about the Oklahoma City Thunder for Thunder Roundtable.