The pick — Knicks +3.5 at 76ers (-112, FanDuel)
FanDuel offers:
Much like a politician after the primaries, I’m flip-flopping on my past position. On Tuesday, I was all in on the 76ers for Game 5 against New York, and thanks to my lord and savior Tyrese Maxey, we won that bet with a bit of sweat involved.
However, the past is the past. It’s time to pivot.
That is why I LOVE the Knicks for Game 6 on Thursday in Philadelphia.
Why is this such a good spot for New York? Well, the Knicks boast the second-best ATS record in the league after a loss. They cover the spread in 65% of games following a defeat, and they win outright in approximately 70% of those instances.
And I’d be remiss not to mention my favorite word: regression. There’s some positive regression on the horizon for a New York team that shot a dismal 27.8% from three and just 66.7% from the free-throw line.
Quite frankly, I wouldn’t be writing about Game 6 if Maxey doesn’t hit a prayer of a four-point play (followed by a Josh Hart missed free throw) to force overtime in Philly’s 112-106 victory. The Sixers needed a miracle to avoid elimination, and honestly, they aren’t getting lucky two games in a row.
Factoring in the aforementioned positive regression and Jalen Brunson’s tendency to play better on the road, you get a nice, tasty-looking batch of the Knicks covering the number.
NBA postseason record: 2-1, +0.85 units