New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction & Match Preview - March 2nd, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22
The New York Knicks will see an end to their four-game homestand as they hit the road to play a rematch against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on March 2.
The New York Knicks were blown out by the 76ers in their previous meeting, which ended with the scoreline reading 109-125. The loss also extended the Knicks' losing streak to five games.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers have been in impeccable form since the arrival of their new superstar James Harden. With their third win in a row on the road, they will return home with the hope of continuing their dominant stretch of performances.
Wednesday's game will also be the final matchup between the two sides this season. With New York leading the series with a score of 2-1, Philadelphia will look to tie the season-series on their home court.
Match Details
Fixture - New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Wednesday, March 2nd, 2022; 7:30 PM ET (Thursday, March 3rd, 2022; 6:00 AM IST).
Venue - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA.
New York Knicks Preview
After suffering their fifth consecutive loss, the New York Knicks find themselves at 25-36 on the season. They made no moves at the trade deadline and failed to address any of their problems heading into the remainder of the season.
The Knicks have taken Kemba Walker out of the rotation and have instead stuck with a guard rotation of Alec Burks, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
ESPN Sources: The New York Knicks and guard Kemba Walker have agreed that the four-time All-Star will be sidelined for the remainder of the team’s season. Story: es.pn/3BKAx56
The loss against the 76ers on February 26 saw a poor first-half effort by the Knicks. While they made up for it in the third quarter and in the early moments of the fourth, New York allowed the 76ers to break away and take a sizeable lead for the win.
The game saw solid outings from Evan Fournier and Barrett, who each had 24 points on the night. Although Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley contributed with a significant amount of scoring, the rest of the lineup paled in comparison.
Key Player - Julius Randle
A key player for the New York Knicks in their upcoming away fixture will be Julius Randle. Although Randle hasn't had the best follow-up season to his performances last year, he has been an essential cog in the New York machine.
He is coming off a 16-point performance, which also saw him record 10 rebounds and seven assists. Randle has often displayed his versatility for the Knicks this season and helped them pick up some vital wins.
Although his shooting slump continued in the last game, he found a way to contribute by getting teammates involved. Randle also put in plenty of effort on the rebounding glass.
Julius Randle 😂
"I told you. I knew what was going to happen. I just hope we win & RJ saved us. I'll be fine next game...I was like maybe I break out of this first game out of the All-Star break slump, but nope. Didn't happen. It's all good tho."
https://t.co/Km74vp7gAJ
Randle has notched a massive uptick in scoring and rebounding in his last 10 games. He will likely be matched up against Tobias Harris in the same position against the 76ers. This means the 27-year old will have more avenues to score and create for his teammates out of the low post.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
G - Alec Burks | G - RJ Barrett | F - Matisse Thybulle | F - Julius Randle | C - Mitchell Robinson.
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Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers have been on a roll following the All-Star break. With three consecutive wins under their belt, the 76ers have won four of their last five games and are on track to win a few more with James Harden finding his form.
Acquired ahead of the trade deadline, Harden has been a crucial addition to the 76ers. The franchise have paired the talented guard with an MVP-caliber big man in Joel Embiid to become one of the strongest sides in the East.
@JoelEmbiidhe didn't even have to look. 🤯
@JHarden13 🔙 @JoelEmbiid https://t.co/iEUAVu8s6N
The duo combined for 66 points in only their second game together against the Knicks last time out. The addition of Harden has also seen a positive impact on their offense as Tyrese Maxey recorded 21 points and Tobias Harris logged another 12 points on the night.
While the bench rotation continues to struggle with contributing, the 76ers look like a competitive team as they adjust to their new superstar combo.
Key Player - James Harden
A key player for the Philadelphia 76ers in their upcoming home fixture will be James Harden. Making his debut with the side in the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the All-Star guard displayed his ability to adapt to Philadelphia's system immediately.
He almost notched a triple-double performance in his debut itself and followed it up with another spectacular outing against the Knicks. Recording 29 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists, the 32-year-old dominated against New York in his side's latest fixture.
29 PTS
James Harden in his second game with the Sixers 🔥
▪️ 29 PTS
▪️ 10 REB
▪️ 16 AST
▪️ 5 STL https://t.co/BOcai84aBo
Taking over the majority of playmaking duties, Harden seamlessly managed to create opportunities for other players while ensuring that Embiid received touches. Finding his superstar big man in easy looks will be key to establishing Philadelphia's rhythm in the upcoming game.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
G - Tyrese Maxey | G - James Harden | F - Matisse Thybulle | F - Tobias Harris | C - Joel Embiid.
Knicks vs 76ers Match Predictions
Wednesday night's marquee matchup poses an exciting game between two storied NBA franchises. However, given their current makeup, the 76ers boast the best odds to win this matchup.
With the addition of James Harden, the 76ers have one of the most compatible superstar duos in the league. Their inside-outside play could potentially create a matchup nightmare for New York's weaker defensive rotation. The 76ers could also easily expand their scoring options by including Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey.
Additionally, the Knicks could be further affected by their negative momentum and having to play in an aggressive away environment such as Philadelphia.
While New York could still pull off an upset, the chances are slim.
Where to watch Knicks vs 76ers game?
The New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers game will be nationally televised on ESPN. The game will receive local coverage on NBC Sports Philadelphia and will be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can listen to the game by tuning into 97.5 The Fanatic as well.
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