ESPN Predicts Tight Race Between Knicks, 76ers

The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers will be close in the standings all year long.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 22, 2024

May 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry (7) controls the ball against the New York Knicks during the second half of game six of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks know how important earning homecourt advantage for the playoffs can be.

That was apparent in their playoff run, especially against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round when they were able to grab a Game 2 win on the backs of the loud crowd at Madison Square Garden.

It also played a key role in the series against the Indiana Pacers where the Knicks won all three of their games at home. Had injuries not been a factor, the Knicks likely would have won that series to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

ESPN believes the Knicks and Sixers will be fighting for the No. 2 seed in the East behind the Boston Celtics.

"The Knicks and the 76ers are neck and neck in our predictive standings, at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, with a budding tristate rivalry after an exciting six-game first-round series last season. The "Nova Knicks" will rally behind breakout point guard Jalen Brunson and recently re-signed OG Anunoby, while the 76ers are hoping their superstar trio of Paul George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey can push Philadelphia to the Finals," ESPN writes.

ESPN ultimately had the Knicks with 53 wins and the Sixers at 52, edging their Atlantic Division rivals out for the No. 2 seed in the East. The Celtics ran away with the No. 1 seed with 61 wins, similar to how things shook out this past season.

Each contender in the East knows how important homecourt advantage is, so those games in the middle of January that don't feel like it has much meaning will be important for teams like the Knicks. It's those random games throughout the season that will ultimately determine who is hosting a first-round playoff series and who has to battle out on the road and make things harder for themselves.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Aug 22, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.