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The Philadelphia 76ers travel to The Big Apple to take on the New York Knicks on Sunday. This be an exciting match-up between two teams with postseason aspirations.
The 76ers have a 36-23 season record, having won six of their last ten games. After a slow start to their campaign, the 76ers appear to have picked up steam and are showcasing why they are considered one of the best teams in the league. Since moving on from Ben Simmons, the Philadelphia-based franchise has a new superstar in James Harden, with whom they hope to go all the way this season.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks have had a tough campaign as they have struggled to build on their exploits last season. They are coming into this game as the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 25-35 season record.
The Knicks have won just two of their last ten games, and are in desperate need of an uptick in form to return to the postseason this year.
Match Details
Fixture: Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Sunday, February 27; 1 PM ET (Sunday, February 27; 11:30 PM IST).
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers, coming into this season with championship aspirations, find themselves ranked third in a stacked Eastern Conference. Led by Joel Embiid, the 76ers will hope to go one step further this time and reach the Conference Finals this year, and perhaps even the NBA Finals.
Along with Embiid, they have Matisse Thybulle, whose incredible defense has attracted immense praise, especially for his performance against Steph Curry recently. Meanwhile, Tobias Harris has come under scrutiny for his poor performances, and the 76ers are reportedly willing to listen to trade offers for the forward.
After acquiring Harden in a trade that saw Simmons exit the franchise, the 76ers now believe they have all the pieces to win the championship this season.
Key Player - Joel Embiid
Arguably the best center in the NBA right now, along with Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid has been carrying the hopes of the 76ers for some time now.
Without Simmons, the onus has been on Embiid, but the big man has risen to the occasion. He is averaging 29.7 points, 11.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per outing, while shooting above 37% from the perimeter and better than 49% from the floor.
One of the best aspects of Embiid's game is his ability to space the floor and drag the opposition big man out to the perimeter. That subsequently creates more space for his teammates to exploit. Moreover, his size, power and footwork near the rim make him a daunting prospect to guard against.
Despite signing James Harden on trade deadline day, the Philadelphia 76ers are still well and truly Embiid's.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Tyrese Maxey; Shooting Guard - James Harden; Small Forward - Matisse Thybulle; Power Forward - Tobias Harris; Center - Joel Embiid.
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New York Knicks Preview
After reaching the postseason last year, the New York Knicks were supposed to build from there. However, that hasn't been the case this season. A string of poor performances has had fans wondering whether last year's exploits were a lucky break.
Kemba Walker's acquisition in the summer brought a lot of hype. However, that has provided the New York Knicks with nothing in terms of performances, as Walker has been called out for his defensive frailties. Veteran teammate Julius Randle has also come under immense scrutiny this season, while another veteran player Derrick Rose continues to be plagued by injuries.
The Knicks will need to get their house in order if they are to seriously contend for a postseason spot in a tightly packed Eastern Conference table.
Key Player - RJ Barrett
Arguably the Knicks' best performer this season, RJ Barrett has been a breath of fresh air for the team. Criticized for the lack of usage of his right hand, Barrett addressed that in the off-season. which has paid off huge dividends for the Knicks.
Barrett is averaging 18.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game this seaon, while shooting the ball at better than 36% from beyond the arc and nearly 42% from the field. He has recorded three double doubles this season, and has scored over 25 points on 11 different occasions.
With the Knicks shutting down Walker for the rest of the season, the onus is now even more on Barrett's shoulders. Nevertheless, in just his third season in the league, Barrett is reminding everyone why he was the third pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Alec Burks; Shooting Guard - Evan Fournier; Small Forward - RJ Barrett; Power Forward - Julius Randle; Center - Mitchell Robinson
76ers vs Knicks Match Prediction
Both teams are coming into this game in contrasting form. The Philadelphia 76ers have won their last two, while the New York Knicks have lost their last four. Moreover, having added James Harden to their team, the 76ers pose too much firepower to not get the job done against the struggling Knicks.
Where to watch 76ers vs Knicks game?
You can watch the action unfold between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers on NBA League Pass. The game will also be broadcast nationally on ABC.
