Game Preview: Knicks at 76ers, January 15, 2025

Knicks fans will look to take over Wells Fargo Center for the second time this season. The Knicks will also try to win a game.

I think we can all agree that the playoff series win over Philadelphia last season was much more satisfying than beating Cleveland the year before. When was the last time the Knicks won a playoff series and it felt that good?

2013 First Round win over the geriatric Celtics before they dismantled their Big 3? Eh.

2000 East Semis against Pat Riley and the Miami Heat? Probably.

Despite how last season ended, there were so many great moments in that series with our I-95 neighbors.

Josh Hart’s Game 1 dagger.

The sequence of the century that won Game 2.

The frantic “Let’s Go Knicks” chants after Game 4 in Philly.

OG Anunoby’s poster of Joel Embiid in Game 6.

Alright alright. Enough of last season.

The 26-15 New York Knicks head on a bus down through Jersey to visit the 15-23 Philadelphia 76ers.

The Knicks are coming off of a shootout loss to the Pistons in the Garden, falling 26-15, but still third in the East.

The Sixers lost last night to the world-beating OKC Thunder, but this will possibly be the team least impacted by a back-to-back in NBA history.

In their blowout loss last night, Philadelphia started Reggie Jackson, Eric Gordon, Kelly Oubre, Ricky Council, and Guerschon Yabusele. Yep. No Embiid, George, Maxey, Lowry, Drummond, etc etc etc.

Now, some of these are real injuries but a number of these are nagging ailments that are just mere injury management. The Knicks will see a much different Sixers team than the Thunder did last night.

Almost nothing has gone right for Philadelphia this season. Joel Embiid hasn’t stayed on the floor, Tyrese Maxey has had growing pains as he’s had to take on a bigger role due to injuries, and Paul George just isn’t playing like a max player.

Their biggest bright spot, rookie Jared McCain, is out for the season with a torn meniscus.

They are very mediocre offensively (23rd in FG%, 25th in 3pt%, and 25th in offensive rating). Their defense is okay, but they allow the third-highest FG% (48.2%) in the NBA, but they offset this with a high steal rate and decent perimeter defense, leading to a league-average defensive rating.

A lot of this preview will be vague, as we don’t know who’s playing in typical Sixers fashion.

Season Series

In the lone previous meeting on November 12, the teams sparred in NBA Cup action.

It was Joel Embiid’s season debut after knee management and a suspension. Philly never let the Knicks run away with it, but New York led for pretty much the entire game, pulling it out 111-99 despite bad shooting and an off-night for JB.

OG Anunoby led the way with 24. KAT had 21-13-6 in his first bout with Embiid as a Knick. Josh Hart recorded his first triple double of the season, posting 14-12-10.

Paul George had, until recently, his best game as a Sixer, posting 29 and 10 in 32 minutes. Jared McCain had 23 and Caleb Martin had 17. Embiid played just 26 minutes and went 2-for-11, clearly hampered by the long layoff.

NYK was down MitchRob and Achiuwa, Sixers were without Tyrese Maxey.

Projected Starters

(UPDATED FOLLOWING INJURY REPORT)

Tyrese Maxey is questionable, but I’m assuming he’ll go. He’s having a great year and may be an all-star, averaging 25.8 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.4 rebounds. The reigning Most Improved Player is shooting a career-low 42.2% from the field and his 33.6 3PT% is his lowest since he was a rookie. If Embiid and George (or just one) don’t play, Maxey is a lock for 30 and they have to stop him from going supernova.

Eric Gordon is a veteran sharpshooter that fills the Darryl Morey quota of former 2017 Rockets on the team. He’s spent much of the season benched, but injuries have gotten him a larger role. He’s 9-for-14 from 3 in his last three games, so watch out.

Kelly Oubre Jr. played last night and should start again. He’s averaging 13.3 points and 5.7 rebounds on 45% from the field, but has been ghastly from 3, shooting just 27.3%. Expect Oubre to flank Brunson, as he did last April.

Paul George should go. He was ruled out late last night and that was likely on purpose. He’s averaging just 16.6 points a game, his lowest since 2011-12. The 34-year-old has not been a seamless fit, with his 53.4 TS% being the lowest he’s had since 2012-13. He recently made headlines for being “bored” and his podcast has been a source of humor in NBA Twitter. He is still capable of what we know he can be, as evidenced by his performance against us in November.

Guerschon Yabusele may start for Embiid, if not him than the rookie Adem Bona. Yabusele spent last year overseas but the former Celtic was impressive in the Olympics with France. He’s been damn solid, averaging ten points and 5.3 rebounds on 50% from the field and 40% from 3. KAT has several inches on him, so expect him to attack early and often.

Prediction

I have no clue who’s going for the Sixers. If they’re healthy, it’ll be a challenging game that we all expected preseason. If a few of them don’t go, the Knicks will have more than enough to take care of business.

I’ll split the difference and say one of the Big 3 are out (Embiid was just ruled out) and a couple role players. Hopefully, OG Anunoby gets going with some good memories of last April and KAT goes to work on their overmatched bigs. The Knicks can put this away if they make enough shots, which haven’t been their strength of late. Chalk it up as a Knicks win, a second dub in Wells Fargo, and a parade of Knicks fans making Philly fans feel unfamiliar in their own home.

Injury Report

76ers:

OUT – Andre Drummond (toe), Joel Embiid (foot), Kyle Lowry (hip), Caleb Martin (groin), KJ Martin (foot), Jared McCain (knee)

Questionable – Tyrese Maxey (hand), Paul George (ankle)

Knicks:

OUT – Mitchell Robinson (ankle), Kevin McCullar Jr. (two-way), Pacome Dadiet (G-League)

Questionable – Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb), Jericho Sims (back)

Probable – Jalen Brunson (shoulder)

Game Details

Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Place: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

TV: ESPN, MSG

Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky