Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks Game 1 Preview, Picks & Odds for Monday, May 4, 2026

By Braxton Reynolds | May 03, 2026, 8:53pm

Game 1 between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC. Neither team has any rotation players listed on the injury report, although Joel Embiid is nursing numerous health issues.

76ers vs. Knicks Betting Analysis

Philadelphia mounted a 3-1 series comeback and upset Boston in the first round. Embiid finally exorcized his Celtics demons, as he previously lost to them in 2018, 2020, and 2023. The former MVP averaged 28 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists per game – perhaps the emergency appendectomy surgery actually helped his postseason hopes by keeping his knees relatively fresh for the playoffs.

Tyrese Maxey and Paul George also combined to average 44.3 points and 9.9 assists per game on 59.9% true shooting. The 76ers must be thrilled that their big three is peaking at the right moment. Factor in quality play from VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Quentin Grimes, and Philadelphia is a dangerous team.

On the other side, New York fell behind 2-1 against Atlanta before winning three straight games. The Knicks’ Game 6 blowout was historic, as they led 83-36 at halftime.

Jalen Brunson unsurprisingly paced New York in scoring during the series, and he was aided by excellent performances from Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby. Both players shot the lights out, and Towns’ passing and Anunoby’s defense were highly impressive.

Can Mikal Bridges bounce back after a rough series in which he only averaged 10 points per game? Excluding garbage time, New York was 32.7 points per 100 possessions better with him off the court compared to him on the court.

The best bet for Game 1 is taking Tyrese Maxey to record at least 32 points plus assists. He’s a matchup nightmare for the Knicks because of his speed and pull-up shooting. Maxey has reached this figure in five of six games against the Knicks over the past two seasons, and he did so in 4-of-7 games in the first round against Boston.

76ers vs. Knicks Best Bet, Pick & Prediction

Best Bet: Tyrese Maxey O31.5 Points + Assists (-113)
Score Prediction: Knicks 112, 76ers 107

76ers vs. Knicks Game Odds

76ers vs. Knicks Game Information

Date: Monday, May 4, 2026
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Network: NBC
Location: New York, New York
Venue: Madison Square Garden – 227.2 ppg; 20-22-1 O/U
Series Score: Tied 0-0

76ers vs. Knicks Betting Resources

76ers vs. Knicks Key Players

76ers

Tyrese Maxey – Last Game: 30 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists
Joel Embiid – Last Game: 34 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists
Paul George – Last Game: 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Knicks

Jalen Brunson – Last Game: 17 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists
Karl-Anthony Towns – Last Game: 12 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists
OG Anunoby – Last Game: 29 points, 7 rebounds, 2 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.