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The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers will meet in the NBA preseason tonight. Tipoff is set for in 7:00 p.m. ET from Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The 76ers are 1.5-point favorites over the Knicks on the spread, with the over/under set at 229.5 total points. Philadelphia is a -120 moneyline favorite to win outright, while New York is a +100 underdog to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Knicks vs. 76ers predictions and NBA picks for Monday, October 5.
My Knicks vs 76ers Prediction
- Knicks vs 76ers pick: Knicks +1.5 (-110)
My Knicks vs. 76ers best bet is New York to cover the spread (+1.5), with the best price currently available at FanDuel. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
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Knicks vs 76ers Odds
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 229.5 -110o / -110u | +100 |
| 76ers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 229.5 -110o / -110u | -120 |
Knicks vs 76ers NBA Preseason Preview
New York Knicks Betting Preview: Chemistry is Key
The Knicks enter this preseason as the defending NBA champions, already boasting some the best chemistry in the league. Their starting lineup features a trio of former Villanova teammates—Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges—who already know what it takes to win a championship together at both the collegiate and professional levels.
Because this core is already battle-tested and their chemistry is airtight, they have nothing to prove in an early exhibition setting. Knicks head coach Mike Brown noted that his starters will only make a brief cameo in Monday night's preseason opener.
With key rotational pieces playing limited minutes, this game will quickly become a battle of the benches. Fortunately for New York, their supporting cast is much deeper and has logged far more minutes together than Philadelphia's second unit, which should give them a nice advantage when the reserves take over.
Philadelphia 76ers Betting Preview: Bench Depth Could be a Problem
The hype surrounding the 76ers is undeniable heading into this season. Following a massive offseason that brought LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to town, the Sixers are short favorites at home tonight in their preseason opener.
However, this new-look starting lineup is quite old, with three of their five primary stars checking in at 29 or older—Joel Embiid (32), Jaylen Brown (29), and LeBron James (41).
While this superstar trio will undoubtedly need on-court reps to gel and build chemistry, staying healthy for the marathon of an 82-game regular season is Philadelphia's ultimate priority.
Head coach Nick Nurse confirmed that while he wants his starters to get some minutes, there is no reason to risk injury by playing them extensively. This may cause some problems for the Sixers in a preseason environment because this roster is so top-heavy.
Once the aging stars head to the bench for the night, the Sixers simply don't have the depth to match up with a more well-rounded opposing second unit.
Knicks vs 76ers Prediction, Betting Analysis
Our Bet Labs system titled "Road 'Dog System (Preseason)" identifies why the Knicks are the smart play tonight. The core theory of this system asserts that preseason road underdogs often provide value because the betting market places far too much weight on home-court advantage and perceived top-end roster strength.
In a regular-season contest, a star-studded Philadelphia roster playing at home would rightfully command more respect. But in an exhibition environment where coaches prioritize health and roster evaluation over winning, the talent gap tends to shrink.
We know that both teams will have tight minute restrictions for their top players. The difference is that New York's deep, cohesive bench is far better equipped to win a preseason game than Philadelphia's top-heavy roster.
This system specifically looks to back visiting underdogs when the betting line shows resistance to the home favorite. Despite our internal bet tracking data revealing that 58% of the early tickets and 61% of the early money are backing the Knicks, this line has held steady at +1.5.
This kind of market resistance strongly indicates that the wrong team might be favored, making the deeper, more cohesive Knicks squad a strong value play.
Pick: Knicks +1.5 (-110)
