The 76ers barely had time to enjoy one of the biggest wins in franchise history. They erased a 3-1 deficit against the Celtics, won Game 7 on the road, and now have to walk straight into Madison Square Garden for Game 1 against a Knicks team that has been waiting since closing out the Hawks in six.
The second-round series opens Monday at 8:00 p.m. ET, and the timing already gives this first game a clear shape: the Knicks have rest, the 76ers have rhythm, and both teams have real star power.
Jalen Brunson enters Game 1 averaging 26.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in the playoffs, while Karl-Anthony Towns averaged 18.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in the Knicks’ first-round win. For the 76ers, Tyrese Maxey is at 26.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.6 assists in the playoffs, while Joel Embiid averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists after returning during the Celtics series.
Game 1 should be more about the first adjustment than the full series blueprint. The Knicks just ended the Hawks series with a 140-89 Game 6 win, including a playoff-record 47-point halftime lead. The 76ers just ended the Celtics series with a 109-100 Game 7 win behind Embiid’s 34 points, Maxey’s 30, and VJ Edgecombe’s 23. One team is rested and coming off a blowout. The other is playing on short rest but with serious belief.
Injury Report
Knicks
Jeremy Sochan: Probable (left hamstring tightness)
76ers
Joel Embiid: Probable (right hip contusion)
Tyrese Maxey: Available (right finger tendon strain, splint)
Why The Knicks Have The Advantage
The Knicks’ first Game 1 advantage is preparation. They have had more time to plan for Embiid, Maxey, and Paul George, while the 76ers are coming off a physical Game 7. That does not mean the Knicks will automatically start sharper, but it should help with early defensive clarity. Expect the Knicks to test Embiid’s movement right away with Towns spacing above the break, Brunson-Towns actions, and quick swings into OG Anunoby attacks.
The biggest tactical question is how the Knicks guard Maxey. The 76ers’ guard speed is a real issue. Maxey was already excellent in the first round, and Edgecombe gives the 76ers another downhill athlete. The Knicks can start with Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Anunoby in different stretches, but Game 1 should reveal who Mike Brown trusts most at the point of attack. The Knicks cannot let Maxey get comfortable early, because once he starts getting downhill, Embiid becomes much harder to load up against.
The Knicks should also have a real bench edge. The Knicks had the second-ranked bench in the playoffs, and they outscored the Hawks by 29.0 points per 100 possessions in Miles McBride’s first-round minutes. That matters in Game 1 because the 76ers are coming off a long series. If McBride, Mitchell Robinson, and the second unit win their shift, the Knicks can push the pace before Embiid settles in defensively.
Why The 76ers Have The Advantage
The 76ers have momentum, and that is not empty talk. They just beat the Celtics three straight times with Embiid back in the lineup. Before Embiid returned, the 76ers looked too dependent on Maxey. Once Embiid came back, they had a real hub again. He gave them scoring, passing, foul pressure, and a defensive anchor. The Knicks are deeper than the Celtics were by the end of that series, but they still have to solve the same problem: how much help do they send at Embiid without freeing Maxey and George?
The Game 1 adjustment for the 76ers should be simple: make Towns defend early. Towns is a major offensive weapon, but the 76ers should put him in repeated Embiid actions and make the Knicks choose between single coverage, late help, or Robinson minutes. If Towns gets into foul trouble, the Knicks’ offensive spacing changes fast.
The 76ers can also attack the Knicks’ defensive matchups with speed. Maxey and Brunson are the main players in the series, but Maxey’s advantage is acceleration. Brunson is stronger and more controlled. Maxey can turn the corner faster. In Game 1, the 76ers should push before the Knicks’ half-court defense gets set, especially after misses.
X-Factors
Mitchell Robinson is a huge Game 1 piece. He averaged 6.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in only 14 minutes per game against the Hawks, but the Knicks were plus-20.5 points per 100 possessions with him on the court. His role against Embiid is obvious: absorb contact, protect the rim, rebound, and give Towns a cleaner offensive matchup. If Robinson stays out of foul trouble, the Knicks have a much better chance to control the paint.
Josh Hart may get dared to shoot again. The 76ers used that kind of coverage in the 2024 series, and Hart punished it by making 43.6% of his threes on 6.2 attempts per game. This time, the situation is less clean because Hart shot only 21.7% from three in the first round. If the 76ers help off him, Game 1 may swing on whether he is decisive with catch-and-shoot looks, cuts, and screening.
VJ Edgecombe feels like the 76ers’ biggest swing player. He averaged 15.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in the Celtics series, then scored 23 points in Game 7. His athleticism gives the 76ers another way to pressure the Knicks’ wings. The question is whether he can handle a more physical defensive series without forcing shots.
Paul George has to keep spacing the floor. George shot 55.0% from three in the Celtics series, and that number matters because the Knicks will send help at Embiid at some point. If George is clean from the corners and wings, the Knicks cannot overload the paint. If he is quiet, the 76ers’ offense gets easier to shrink.
Prediction
The 76ers are dangerous because Embiid and Maxey already look comfortable together, and Game 7 gave them the kind of belief that can carry into the next round. Still, Game 1 sets up better for the Knicks. They are rested, deeper, and have more defensive bodies to throw at the 76ers’ stars. I expect Embiid to produce, but the Knicks’ bench, Towns’ spacing, and Brunson’s late-game control should be enough to protect home court.
Prediction: Knicks 111, 76ers 104
