Posted at 9:30 AM EST. Odds subject to change.

Pinnacle -1 -106 BET365 -0½ -115 Sportsinteraction -0½ -115 888Sport -1½ +100

New York 1Q -1½ over Philadelphia

Best Odds: +100 at 888Sport

6:10 PM EST. Spirits are high in Philadelphia right now and the markets have responded. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks have been one of the most consistent programs in the NBA all season, ranked top 10 on offense and defense and 5th overall in net rating. Ascending to the East's #2 seed, many thought it might be unwise for New York to seek the #2 seed and take on the surging 76ers, a team that's now won 8 straight. Joel Embiid is back and his supporting cast got better playing without him for two months, and it's showing. But Tom Thibodeau's team and the culture he's built is not one that backs down. Besides, they've had plenty of success against the 76ers this season already.

New York is 3-1 against Philadelphia, but, to be fair, the Knicks only faced the 76ers once with Joel Embiid, and they also had a healthy Julius Randle in that same contest. Market perception is what betting is all about. In this case, getting a -3 on the home team feels a bit stunted. New York is built to stop a team like the 76ers, a roster constructed around their big-man and reigning MVP. The Knicks are one of the most formidable front court defenses in pro basketball, ranking 2nd in opponent rebounds and 6th in opponent paint points per game. With Mitchell Robinson back at full health, that front court is even stronger. Robinson is a blocking and rebounding machine. The gritty Isaiah Hartenstein filled his shoes while out and he's still getting as many minutes, solidifying a group of bigs that can match up as well as any against the enigmatic Embiid.

And then there's Jalen Brunson. Tyrese Maxey is getting his flowers for holding the 76ers on his shoulders during Embiid's absence, as he should, but we can't help but feel that Brunson is cyclically underappreciated by fans and critics. The dynamic guard has taken over New York City this season and he's made the Knicks his team, thrilling Madison Square Garden with epic scoring nights and clutch performances the last 6 months. He also likes to push the pace in the fastbreak, an area where Philly's defense struggles (they rank 24th in opponent fastbreak ppg).

Other role players like Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo and OG Anunoby have become perfect cultural fits for a New York squad founded on toughness. After winning last Sunday and securing the #2 seed, the Knicks are coming off a full 6 days of rest. Philly has only had 3, likely still sore after a physical war against Miami. In any case, oddsmakers are forced to grant the home-team a short spread since their opponent has been white hot to end the season, although they're also forgetting that New York's form might have been even better. The Knicks finished winning 5 straight games, displaying the association's 2nd most efficient offense in that stretch.

News isn't new anymore, boys and girls; it's all what the media wants you to think. We love Philly's surge, too, and they should be considered a dangerous threat in the East. But the Knicks are really good in front of their fans (27-14 at home this season), and they deserve a better number than this. Humbly, we still can't deny Philly's recent surge, but we can capitalize on a different angle that serves what we feel is still the better team in a much better situation. The Knicks, at home, and with 76ers' players like Paul Reed calling them the "easier team to face" in this round, we love a fiery start to catch Philly off guard. This won't be a cake-walk for either program.

Farley

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