Saturday's Game 1 between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers featured just about everything you expected out of this matchup. Wild lead swings. Tight defense. A Joel Embiid injury. And some of the most raucous fans in all of basketball not only impacting the game, but going wild afterward. The Knicks may not make the playoffs all that often, but when they get there, boy, do they enjoy it.
The Knicks can breathe easy with a 1-0 lead. Now, all of the pressure is on the 76ers, and that is a problem considering that Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are listed as questionable for Tuesday's Game 2. Now Philadelphia's best-case scenario for Game 2 is to enter Madison Square Garden with a hobbled former MVP to take on the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed. Will they be able to tie the series? Or will the Knicks sweep their two opening home games? Here's everything you need to know about Game 2.
New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ersDate: Monday, April 22 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ETLocation: Madison Square Garden -- New York CityTV channel: TNTOdds: Knicks -5; O/U 208.5StorylinesKnicks: Game 1 was the role player show for New York. It swung on stellar performances out of Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart and Deuce McBride. The Knicks won't quibble over the why's of a win, but MVP candidate Jalen Brunson shot a poor 8-of-26 from the field. He spent the entire season lifting up his teammates. They needed to lift him on Saturday. How will the first-time All-Star respond after one of the worst games of his season? Can Nick Nurse slow Brunson down twice?
76ers: Everything hinges on Embiid's health. Philadelphia won his minutes by 14 points in Game 1. They lost the 11 minutes he was out by 21. This happens to the 76ers almost every year. Their own head coach, Nick Nurse, won a championship in 2019 largely because of how badly Philadelphia played without Embiid for a few minutes each night in the second round against the Raptors. Everything the 76ers do on both ends of the floor revolves around a healthy Embiid. If he's in the same physical state that he was in during the second half on Saturday, it's hard to see the 76ers winning this game. They need Embiid at his best. Can he deliver?
PredictionEmbiid's health is just too glaring a red flag to pick Philadelphia in this one. Until he proves he's capable of playing 40 minutes at something resembling his typical level, the Knicks have to be the favorite. The Pick: Knicks -5
