The Philadelphia 76ers (14-11) head to Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks (19-7) in a high-stakes Atlantic Division rivalry. The Knicks, riding a hot streak with one of the league’s top offenses, aim to extend their home dominance, while the Sixers look to capitalize on New York’s injury-riddled frontcourt despite their own uncertainties. This matchup could hinge on star power, with Philadelphia’s big three potentially facing a depleted Knicks squad. New York enters as favorites, but Philadelphia’s recent road resilience adds intrigue.
Venue Location
Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
Broadcast options include Amazon Prime and NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Team Records
Philadelphia 76ers: 14-11 (5th in Eastern Conference, 4th in Atlantic Division)
New York Knicks: 19-7 (2nd in Eastern Conference, 1st in Atlantic Division)
The Knicks boast a strong 12-3 home record, while the Sixers are 5-6 on the road.
Recent Team Forms
Both teams have been competitive, but the Knicks have surged with elite scoring, averaging 120.9 points per game in their last 10. The Sixers, meanwhile, have gone 5-5, showing defensive improvements but offensive inconsistency.
Philadelphia 76ers Recent Form (Last 10 Games): The Sixers are 5-5 in their last 10, with a recent loss to Atlanta highlighting rebounding issues (outrebounded 50-42). They’ve averaged 110.5 points per game but allowed 113.7 in losses.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Dec 15 | vs. ATL | L | 117-120 |
| Dec 13 | @ IND | W | 115-105 |
| Dec 8 | vs. LAL | L | 108-112 |
| Dec 6 | vs. MIL | W | 116-101 |
| Dec 5 | vs. GSW | W | 99-98 |
| Dec 3 | vs. WAS | W | 121-102 |
| Dec 1 | vs. ATL | L | 134-142 (2OT) |
| Nov 29 | vs. BKN | W | 115-103 |
| Nov 26 | vs. ORL | L | 103-144 |
| Nov 23 | vs. MIA | L | 117-127 |
New York Knicks Recent Form (Last 10 Games): The Knicks are 9-1 in their last 10, dominating at home with six straight wins. They’ve averaged 124.2 points per game, shooting 51.3% from the field, but their lone loss came against Boston.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Dec 16 | vs. SAS | W | 124-113 |
| Dec 13 | vs. ORL | W | 132-120 |
| Dec 9 | vs. TOR | W | 117-101 |
| Dec 7 | vs. ORL | W | 106-100 |
| Dec 5 | vs. UTA | W | 146-112 |
| Dec 3 | vs. CHA | W | 119-104 |
| Dec 2 | vs. BOS | L | 117-123 |
| Nov 30 | vs. TOR | W | 116-94 |
| Nov 28 | vs. MIL | W | 118-109 |
| Nov 26 | vs. CHA | W | 129-101 |
Injury Report
Philadelphia 76ers:
Joel Embiid (C): Questionable (illness; missed practice but could play after three straight appearances).
Kelly Oubre Jr. (G/F): OUT (knee; sidelined indefinitely).
Trendon Watford (F): OUT (thigh; expected to miss at least this game).
Haywood Highsmith (F): Probable (shoulder; day-to-day but likely available).
Tyrese Maxey is cleared to return after missing two games.
New York Knicks:
Karl-Anthony Towns (C): OUT (knee; significant loss for spacing and rebounding).
Josh Hart (G/F): OUT (personal reasons; impacts bench energy).
Miles McBride (G): OUT (ankle; affects guard depth).
Landry Shamet (G): OUT (shoulder; out until at least Dec 24).
Precious Achiuwa (F/C): Questionable (ankle; could provide frontcourt help if active).
New York’s frontcourt is thinned, potentially forcing reliance on Jericho Sims or others at center.
Player Matchups
This divisional clash features explosive guard play and frontcourt battles, with injuries shifting dynamics:
Tyrese Maxey (PHI) vs. Jalen Brunson (NYK): Maxey’s speed (averaging 25.8 PPG) challenges Brunson’s craftiness (26.4 PPG). With McBride out, Brunson may shoulder more defensively, potentially tiring him.
Joel Embiid (PHI) vs. Jericho Sims/Precious Achiuwa (NYK): If Embiid plays (32.1 PPG, 11.2 RPG), he could dominate New York’s undersized frontcourt without Towns. Expect Embiid to exploit mismatches in the post.
Paul George (PHI) vs. Mikal Bridges (NYK): George’s scoring (22.7 PPG) meets Bridges’ elite defense. This wing duel could decide perimeter efficiency.
Bench Impact: Philadelphia’s depth (Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon) might overwhelm New York’s reserves, especially with Hart and Shamet sidelined. Look for V.J. Edgecombe (PHI rookie) to provide sparks after a 35-point outburst.
New York’s injuries give Philadelphia edges inside, but the Knicks’ home shooting could compensate.
Series History
The 76ers lead the all-time regular-season series 264-212. In playoffs, Philadelphia holds a slight edge, but recent history favors New York: The Knicks are 11-8 against the Sixers over the last five years, including a 4-0 sweep in their most recent four regular-season meetings (average margin: 12.3 points). New York also eliminated Philadelphia 4-2 in the 2024 playoffs. The last Sixers win over the Knicks was on March 12, 2024 (106-79).
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Betting Trends
Spread: New York is 18-9 ATS overall (best in NBA) and 10-5 ATS at home. Philadelphia is 15-10 ATS but 4-7 ATS as underdogs.
Over/Under: Knicks games have gone over in 14 of 26 (53.8%), while Sixers games hit the under in 15 of 25 (60%). Combined, these teams average 235.2 points per game.
Key Trends: The Knicks are 14-1 straight up when favored by -197 or more. The over has hit in 6 of the last 8 meetings. Philadelphia is 6-4 ATS after a loss, but New York is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games. The under has cashed in 7 of Philadelphia’s last 10 road games.
Game Odds
Philadelphia Sixers 228.5
New York Knicks – 5.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, December 18, 2025
