Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA

New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers Game 3: Eastern Conference Playoffs – First round

The Philadelphia 76ers blew up a late lead in the previous game and now are hoping to get back in the series when they host the New York Knicks on Thursday at Wells Fargo Center.

The Knicks are for real

The New York Knicks finished second in the Eastern Conference, and they came into the playoffs with high hopes. The Knicks fans could not be more excited after the team took a 2-0 lead in the series against the Sixers. The Knicks were down in both games, and they did a real miracle late in Game 2. The Sixers were up by five points with less than a minute to go, but then the Knicks made two-three-pointers to take over the lead. Donte DiVIncenzo was their hero, hitting the last one and giving the Knicks a 104-101 win. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 24 points, and Josh Hart added 21 points and 15 rebounds.

Is it too late for the Sixers?

The Philadelphia 76ers had a rough season and barely survived the play-in tournament to even make it to the playoffs. Joel Embiid came back just in time to take his team to the postseason, but no matter how hard he tries, it is obvious that the reigning MVP is still not 100% healthy. He had 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists in Game 2, but the Sixers still fell short against the Knicks. Tyrese Maxey led the team with 35 points, scoring a late three to give them a five-point lead, but then a disaster happened for the Sixers. They did not make the crucial defensive rebound, and that ended up costing them the game and maybe even the series.

Betting Trends

New York has won 5 of the last 6 games against Sixers but have lost 11  of the last 15 played in Philadelphia. The Knicks are 7-0 SU in the last 7 games overall and 5-0 SU in the last five games against teams from the Eastern Conference. The Sixers are 9-2 SU in the last 11 games overall and 5-0 SU in the last five home games.

Prediction and Conclusion

The Philadelphia 76ers had a solid lead at some point in both of the games in New York but just could not convert at the end. Joel Embiid is giving his best, but the Knicks are doing a great job defending him. Even though he is not fully ready, he would need to step up tonight. The Knicks have no pressure going into this one, but they will be all over the court just like they did in the previous two games. However, the Sixers have enough assets to take control of Game 3, and they are just too good of a team and will stay alive in the series with a win tonight.