The New York Knicks (53–29) open their second-round series tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers (45–37) at Madison Square Garden. Game time is 8 p.m., and you can catch it on NBC and Peacock.
The Knicks finished their first-round series 4–2, thanks to a 51-point evisceration of the Hawks on Friday. Pacome Dadiet went 2-of-4 and finished with five points. Nice! Our heroes scored a couple of extra days off, thanks to Philadelphia pushing their series with Boston to seven games, completing a comeback
from a 3–1 hole.
These teams split the season series 2–2. The last meeting—February 11 in Philadelphia—was a demolition, a 138–89 Knicks win. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges controlled the game, while Tyrese Maxey had 32 in defeat.
The Philadelphia 76ers (45–37, seventh in the East) profile as a middle-of-the-pack team on both ends—17th in offense (115.9 PPG), around league average defensively (116.1 allowed). It’s a volatile group that leans heavily on star power rather than depth or consistency. They ranked in the bottom tier for three-point shooting, but they get to the free-throw line a bunch and were sixth in steals.
Joel Embiid averaged 32 points, 10.5 rebounds, and five assists in two tussles with the Knicks this season. The big fella—who once had some choice words for Karl-Anthony Towns—is listed as probable for today’s game with a sore hip. After a regular season defined by load management and a late-season appendectomy, Joel Embiid has regained his MVP-caliber form at the perfect moment for the Cheesesteaks. After playing just 38 games this season, the big man has been a dominant presence in the postseason so far, dropping 34 points in the final game against Boston. Although this became Tyrese Maxey’s team while the aging Embiid nursed his injuries, Embiid remains the biggest problem on New York’s whiteboard.
Karl-Anthony Towns has averaged 20.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 14 games versus Joel Embiid, while Embiid has averaged 28 points, 9.4 boards, and 3.6 dimes. But really, we’re most excited to see Mitchell Robinson square up with Joel, especially after the latter tried to end Mitch’s career in their last playoff series.
Speaking of Maxey, the young guard had another strong 2025–26 regular season as the Philadelphia 76ers’ primary option. He averaged 28.3 points (5th in the NBA), 6.6 assists (15th), and 4.1 rebounds per game across 70 games, while playing heavy minutes (>38 MPG). Shooting 46% from the field, 37% from three, and 89% from the free-throw line, he’s a scoring threat from all depths—and not shabby on defense either (1.9 steals per game). We expect Mikal Bridges will guard him to start the series.
Jalen Brunson (23.6 PPG, 5.7 AST, 4.6 REB) has a slight all-around edge over Tyrese Maxey (22.5 PPG, 4.3 AST, 2.9 REB) across their 16 career matchups.
The third star of their squad is Paul George, who pulled off one of the cleverest scams in NBA history. Not only did he take a banned substance that (we assume) benefited his body, but that led to a 25-game suspension (or, if you like, rest) that has him nice and fresh for the postseason. Aging hoopers, take note! Due to his scandal-shortened season (scandal seems strong, given how little media attention has been given to his malfeasance), Georgie boy appeared in just 37 games, averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 steals in 30.7 minutes per game. The 15-year vet just turned 36 this week, but can still shoot—he made 44% from the field, 39% from three-point range, and 82% from the free-throw line. We expect OG Anunoby to defend him to start the series.
VJ Edgecombe had an outstanding rookie 2025–26 regular season with the Sixers after being selected third overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. The 20-year-old guard played in 75 games (all starts), averaging 16 points, about six boards, and 1.4 steals in 35 minutes per game. While making 43.8% from the field, 35.4% from three, and 81.8% from the free-throw line, he showed strong two-way versatility, athleticism, and playmaking as a primary wing creator. As a result, he earned strong Rookie of the Year consideration (finishing third) and has become a cornerstone piece for the Sixers.
Rounding out Nick Nurse’s starting five is one of my least favorite players in the league, Kelly Oubre Jr. When not perfecting his Sideshow Bob hairdo or suspicious hit-and-run stories, Oubre has carved a nice niche for himself in Philly. In an injury-shortened 2025–26 season, he appeared in 50 games (41 starts), averaged 14.1 points, five boards, and 1.4 steals in 31.5 minutes per game. Oubre shot 46.7% from the field, 36% from three-point range, and 77% from the free-throw line, providing reliable scoring, athleticism, and perimeter defense.
One thing that might sting will be seeing Quentin Grimes come off the bench. The former Knick had a productive 2025–26 regular season as a key rotation guard/wing for the Sixers, appearing in 75 games (19 starts) and averaging 13.4 points in 29.4 minutes per game. He shot 45% from the field, 33.4% from downtown, and 84% from the free-throw line. In the Celtics series, he delivered in a few big moments, and it can be hard to watch him without thinking what could have been. You may recall that Q-Dot was traded to the Detroit Pistons in February 2024 as part of a multi-player deal to acquire Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks.
Aside from Embiid’s hip, there’s nothing noteworthy on the injury report for tonight’s game. Check back later in this series, which is sure to be physical, and you’re likely to see the list fill up.
Prediction
ESPN.com thinks the Knicks have a 77% chance tonight. Wowza! The central question seems to be: can Philly’s top-end talent generate enough offense to overcome New York’s depth, size, and physicality? The Knicks want a grind, and they stand a good chance to win the series if they can dictate pace and physicality (and make their shots). It starts with one win, however, and it starts with defense and rebounding. Towns and Robinson need to control second chances and make Embiid sweat. If New York can stymie Embiid, Maxey, and George and deliver on the offensive end, then we should enjoy a nice, eight-point Knicks win to start Round Two. Go Knicks!
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (0-0) vs Philadelphia 76ers (0-0)
Date: Monday, May 4, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Place: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, NY
TV: Peacock / NBC
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
