Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks head-to-head, season stats, last 5 games and more for NBA Playoffs 2024
The Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks will meet past the regular season grind to face each other in the playoffs. Two of the league’s most storied franchises will resume a rivalry that had been on hold for over three decades. On Saturday, Game 1 of their first-round series will fast-track their familiarity with each other.
The 76ers took the long and complicated road to earn the right to face the Knicks. They were almost relegated to the lower half of the play-in tournament before Joel Embiid’s return allowed them to have a strong finishing kick. Still, they had to go through the eye of the needle to beat the Miami Heat for the No. 7 seed in the East.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks, who were third in their conference on the last game date of the regular season, surged to the No. 2 seed.
They vaulted over the Milwaukee Bucks who seemed disinterested to face the Philadelphia 76ers or the Heat. Tom Thibodeau’s team didn’t want to duck regardless of who between Embiid and Jimmy Butler would emerge in the No. 7-8 battle.
Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks head-to-head numbers this season
The Philadelphia 76ers won just once in four regular-season clashes with New York. Philly’s first defeat, a humiliating 128-92 beatdown in January, involved Joel Embiid who had a big game. The Sixers, with or without “The Process,” struggled against their first-round dates.
The numbers isn't exactly the whole story, but they paint a big picture of the 76ers-Knicks duel in the regular season. Except for points in the paint and turnovers, New York unquestionably has had Philadelphia’s number.
76ers-Knicks overall numbers this season
The Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks respectively earned their rungs in the Eastern Conference ladder.
To get there, they had to complete the 82-game grind and then some in Philadelphia’s case. Here’s how they stacked up against the entire league leading into the 2024 NBA Playoffs:
Health will again be key for the 76ers-Knicks series
Health in the NBA is the great equalizer. A powerhouse squad will be more vulnerable to a lower-ranked foe if its stars are playing through with injuries. The Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks are both not 100% roster-wise going into Game 1.
Joel Embiid didn’t miss a beat when he returned to action early this month after the Sixers shelved him in February and March. In five games since returning, he again filled up the stat box scores and looked like the MVP never left.
However, “The Process” looked gimpy versus the Miami Heat, which might have caused anxiety levels in Philadelphia to rise. He didn’t play like the MVP, forcing Nic Batum to keep the team’s head above water.
If =this version of Joel Embiid shows up in the series, the Philadelphia 76ers can kiss their championship aspirations goodbye.
The New York Knicks have adapted to the reality that Julius Randle will not walk through the door to help them. But OG Anunoby has been in and out of the lineup due to an elbow injury. New York is a dazzling 20-3 when Anunoby plays.
Knicks Tom Thibodeau loves Anunoby’s versatility on both ends of the court. They have done quite well without him but would rather have him on the court in high-stakes games.