Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Saturday January 3 2026
Saturday evening on the NBA hardwood, and we have a Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks prediction locked and loaded for you. The Sixers enter this game off a 123-108 road win over the Dallas Mavericks to move to 18-14 on the year. The Knicks are off a tough 111-99 home loss to the Hawks and that drops them to 23-11 on the year. These teams met here in December, and the Sixers won that game 116-107. Read on to see our 76ers vs Knicks prediction.
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Maxey Leads Sixers Over The Mavericks
Philadelphia rolls into Madison Square Garden feeling good after a 123–108 win over Dallas, a game where Tyrese Maxey completely took over. He put up 34 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds, controlling the pace and torching the Mavericks at all three levels. Joel Embiid added 22, and rookie VJ Edgecombe gave them a huge lift with 23 points on 9‑of‑14 shooting. The Sixers shot 53% from the field and used a 17–2 second‑quarter run to seize control, then slammed the door in the fourth behind Quentin Grimes’ 11‑point burst and three made threes. It was one of Philly’s cleaner offensive outings of the season, especially considering Dallas opened the game shooting 65% before the Sixers tightened the screws and held them to 38% the rest of the way.
The season profile shows a team that can score but still leans heavily on Maxey and Embiid to set the tone. Philadelphia averages 116.7 points, shoots 35.8% from three, and ranks top‑five in free‑throw percentage at 81.8%, which matters in tight road games. Defensively, they allow 116.0 points, but the underlying numbers are better than that — opponents shoot just 34.2% from deep, one of the best marks in the league. Against the Knicks, the keys are straightforward: handle New York’s physicality on the glass, avoid long stretches of stagnant half‑court offense, and keep Maxey in space where he can attack mismatches. The Knicks will try to slow this game down and turn it into a grind, but if the Sixers maintain the ball movement they showed in Dallas and get enough secondary scoring behind their stars, they’ll give themselves a real shot to close out the road trip with another win.
Knicks Fall To Hawks At Home
The Knicks come into Saturday’s matchup with Philadelphia looking to rebound from a 111–99 home loss to the Hawks, a game where they started fast but never fully recovered after Atlanta seized control late in the first quarter. Jalen Brunson led New York with 24 points, OG Anunoby added 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Mikal Bridges chipped in 18, but the Knicks spent most of the night chasing the game. The real bright spot was Ariel Hukporti, who stepped in for Karl‑Anthony Towns (illness) and grabbed a career‑high 17 rebounds, giving New York second‑chance opportunities even as the offense sputtered. Atlanta became the first team all season to hold the Knicks under 100 points, and once the Hawks stretched the lead to 94–70 late in the third, New York’s late push wasn’t enough to close the gap.
Despite that off night, the Knicks’ season profile still paints them as one of the league’s most efficient offensive teams. They average 120.5 points per game (5th), shoot 47.4% from the field, and knock down 38.1% from three, a top‑five mark. They’re also elite on the glass at 46.3 rebounds per game, which is critical against a Sixers team that can be vulnerable in transition defense. Defensively, New York allows 114.6 points but holds opponents to 46.4% shooting, and their ability to limit free throws (77.5% allowed, 4th) keeps them in games even when the offense cools. Against Philadelphia, the keys are straightforward: Brunson has to control tempo, they need Bridges and Anunoby to stretch the floor, and they must win the rebounding battle to keep the Sixers out of rhythm. If the Knicks can avoid the long scoring droughts that doomed them against Atlanta and turn this into a physical, half‑court game, they’ll put themselves in position to bounce back at home.
Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tony Karpinski | +2,494.00 |
| 2 |  Joe Duffy | +1,859.00 |
| 3 |  The Insiders Room | +1,788.00 |
| 4 |  Mark Ruelle | +1,428.00 |
| 5 |  Jackie Mack | +1,400.00 |
76ers vs Knicks Spread Pick
- Philadelphia +3.5 (4 Units)
Philadelphia +3.5 makes a lot of sense here, mostly because the situational spot tilts heavily in their favor. The Sixers come in rested, with a full day to reset after handling Dallas, while the Knicks are on the second night of a back‑to‑back — and that matters for a team that leans so much on Jalen Brunson’s usage and physical half‑court creation. New York just played a grind of a game against Atlanta where they were held under 100 for the first time all season, and now they have to turn around and deal with a Sixers team that’s healthier, fresher, and playing with more offensive rhythm. Philadelphia’s ability to get to the line, control pace with Maxey, and keep opponents off the three‑point line gives them a real path to stay inside the number even if the game gets messy. Add in the rest advantage, the travel advantage, and the fact that the Knicks’ offense tends to dip on tired legs, and +3.5 becomes a pretty appealing side.
76ers vs Knicks Over/Under Pick
- Under 232.5 (5 Units)
The Under 232.5 lines up nicely with how this matchup tends to play out and with the spot both teams are in. Their first meeting produced 223 points, and that was with both offenses playing fairly clean basketball; nothing about that game suggested a pace explosion, and both teams still lean heavily on half‑court creation. The Knicks being on the second night of a back‑to‑back only reinforces the Under — tired legs usually show up in jump‑shooting and late‑clock possessions, and New York already struggles when the pace slows and they’re forced to grind through every trip. Philadelphia, meanwhile, is rested and perfectly comfortable playing a controlled, slower game built around Maxey’s pick‑and‑roll and Embiid’s touches. Add in the fact that the Sixers defend the three well and the Knicks allow just 46.4% shooting, and you’re looking at a matchup where both teams will have to work for points. Unless this turns into an outlier whistle‑fest, the path to 233 requires a level of pace and shot‑making that doesn’t match the situation.
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