A few old Eastern Conference foes face off tonight at Madison Square Garden as the Philadelphia 76ers take on the New York Knicks. Both teams are currently suffering from injuries, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expect an intense matchup here. I analyzed the game in depth and put together a Same Game Parlay which you can find below.
For side and total predictions for the remainder of Sunday’s 9 matches, simply visit our NBA Pick page.
Now for my SGP bet!
Tobias Harris over 19.5 points (-108)
Buddy Hield Over 2.5 Makes Three (-154)
Donte DiVincenzo will score more than 20 points (+130)
Parlay same game odds: +524
Tobias Harris over 19.5 points (-108)
Tyrese Maxey not playing here makes all the difference for the Philadelphia 76ers and especially for Tobias Harris who automatically becomes the number one scoring option. It’s a huge responsibility for any player, but the seasoned veteran is no stranger to having to lead a team alone. For the month of March he is averaging 21.2 points per game, this figure would have been even higher if not for the lackluster performance against Memphis where he only had 8 points. His shot attempts increased from 14.3 per game in February to 17 per game this month, further illustrating his increased role in the absence of Embiid and Maxey. In the 5 games played this month, he is shooting 51.8% from the field and a respectable 38.5% from downtown. The Knicks have managed to limit him in both games so far this season, but as circumstances have changed, I think with the volume of shots he’ll get here, Harris should have a productive game.
Buddy Hield Over 2.5 Makes Three (-156)
Another player who should provide a spark to the injury-depleted Sixers team is Buddy Hield. Much like Harris, he also struggled in the loss to the Pelicans the other day, but one poor performance shouldn’t negate all the positives he’s brought to this team since being acquired in the a trade with Indiana. Over his last 10 games, Hield averages 12.6 points per game, he is the team’s 3rd most efficient shooter from the perimeter with 40.6%. In 13 games with Philadelphia, he crossed that line a total of 10 times. He also has a strong head-to-head record with the Knicks, hitting 4 threes in the game played against them on February 22. It was the 7th time in 10 games against them that he was able to score 3 three-pointers. Without a good game from Hield, I fear the Sixers won’t go far in this game.
Donte DiVincenzo will score more than 20 points (+130)
DiVincenzo rose to become the Knicks’ second-leading scorer, at least until Julius Randle and OG Anunoby returned. He’s averaging 19 points per game in his last 9 outings and I expect him to continue his strong streak tonight against the 76ers. There is something in the confrontation with Philly that suits him, in the 2 meetings this season, he averages 15 points per game with an efficiency that goes up to 47.6% on the field and 47.1% from the city center. I really doubt an aging Kyle Lowry or a mediocre defender like Buddy Hield or Kelly Oubre Jr. can stop him here, he’s made at least 4 three pointers in 3 of his last 4 games against the 76ers. Philadelphia’s defense has been all over the place lately, with opponents averaging 36.7% shooting from three against them in their last 3 games. Hopefully DiVincenzo can make the most of it here.
