The regular season is winding down, and the Knicks get the month of April underway tonight with a home tilt against the Sixers.
With just eight games left in the regular season, the Knicks have had their last few weeks defined by the absence of Jalen Brunson. After a shaky start that included a couple of bad losses against San Antonio and Charlotte, the boys in orange and blue have rebounded, winning four of their last five by a comfortable margin.
New York’s starters have stepped up, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, but the talk of the town as of late has been OG Anunoby.
He’s been playing out of his mind lately. Over his last 15, he’s averaging 23.1 PPG. And the defense has still been just as strong out of him.
All of this has been more than welcome for New York, who have been looking to tighten their grip on the #3 seed in the East as the playoffs rapidly approach.
A 110-93 dismantling of Portland at MSG kept the good vibes going on Sunday evening. After a slow start, it was all Knicks in the second half, and New York was able to flip a 68-54 deficit into a comfortable, double-digit win.
Tonight, the lowly Sixers come to town.
Everything that could have possibly gone wrong for the Philadelphia 76ers this year did. Joel Embiid battled knee issues and ultimately only appeared in 19 games. Paul George, the splashy signing of the offseason, only appeared in 41 games (in which he played below expectations) and was shut down for the season. Tyrese Maxey hasn’t played in a month. Their talented first-rounder, Jared McCain, tore his meniscus.
Total it all up, and Philadelphia has a 23-52 record.
It’s almost unfathomable. This was our first-round matchup last year, and Embiid and Maxey gave the Knicks fits. Adding PG was supposed to bolster their rotation, and make them finals contenders.
Instead, they’re praying the ping pong balls drawn in the lottery end up in their favor.
Lately, it’s been the Quentin Grimes show for the Sixers. If it hasn’t been him, it’s been Justin Edwards or Lonnie Walker IV. Have fun with that tonight.
The Sixers’ full injury report is as follows:
Kelly Oubre Jr., Tyrese Maxey, Kyle Lowry, Andre Drummond, Paul George, Joel Embiid, Eric Gordon, and Jared McCain are all out.
Phew.
The Knicks have a crowded injury report as well: Cameron Payne, Miles McBride, Jalen Brunson, and Ariel Hukporti all remain out. Kevin McCullar Jr., who recently scored his first NBA points for the Knicks, is day-to-day.
Prediction:
The Sixers have been playing for next year, and are currently on an eight-game losing streak.
The injuries and depth issues are simply too much to overcome. The Knicks should cruise to a twenty-point victory, and in front of a home crowd trying to get in playoff form themselves, I think they do.
I would love to see the youngins get some run in the second half. Let’s make it easy on ourselves.
Game Details
Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
TV Broadcast: MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky