The New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers playoff game is set to tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday, May 8, with the 76ers entering as 1.5-point favorites on the spread, via PrizePicks.
The Knicks continued their dominant postseason with a Game 2 win over the 76ers on Wednesday. It was a much closer game than Game 1’s blowout, but the Knicks' defense tightened the screws late, holding the 76ers to just 12 points in the fourth quarter. Will Philadelphia bounce back at home and make this a competitive series?
Below, we'll break down our Knicks vs. 76ers prediction and picks for Friday’s NBA playoff game, including the spread, over/under, and key player picks for PrizePicks.
Make your Knicks vs. 76ers picks on PrizePicks now.
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Knicks vs. 76ers Prediction, Spread, Over/Under for Game 3 – Friday, May 8
The Knicks are playing incredible basketball, and it seems this could be one of the Knicks' best shots of going to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Their starters poured in 93 of their 108 points in Game 2, showing off a well-rounded rotation.
The Knicks' path to success tonight may be a bit more complicated, though, as a few of their key players are dealing with injuries. According to the NBA injury report, G Josh Hart is probable ewith a thumb sprain, while F OG Anunoby, who has arguably been the Knicks' best player in the playoffs, is questionable with a hamstring strain.
The 76ers put forth a valiant effort in Game 2 without star C Joel Embiid. Embiid missed the game with a right ankle sprain and right hip soreness and is currently listed as questionable for Game 3.
Other 76ers like F Paul George and G Tyrese Maxey are playing at a high enough level that Philly may steal a game or two, especially at home. However, if the 76ers actually want to slay the dragon, they will likely need Embiid to be healthy and perform at a high level.
Knicks vs. 76ers Spread, Over/Under for Game 3 – Friday, May 8
The 76ers enter Friday’s game as 1.5-point home favorites against the Knicks, returning a 1.81x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Here are the full payouts for the Knicks vs. 76ers game on PrizePicks.
- Spread: Philadelphia 76ers -1.5 (1.85x payout)
- Over/Under: 213.5 (1.85x payout on Over)
- Game Winner Payout: Knicks - 1.92x | 76ers - 1.81x
Play the Knicks vs. 76ers spread or over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money — available in 35 states!
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers Timeline
Here is the full Knicks vs. 76ers timeline, including the playoff series game-by-game and recent matchup history.
All-Time: Philadelphia 76ers, 289-232
Regular Season: Tied, 2-2
Postseason: Knicks, 2-0
Knicks vs. 76ers Conference Semifinals Timeline, Schedule for 2026 NBA Playoffs
- Game 1: Knicks 137, 76ers 98
- Game 2: Knicks 108, 76ers 102
- Game 3: Friday, May 8, 7:00 p.m. ET in Philadelphia
- Game 4: Sunday, May 10, 3:30 p.m. ET in Philadelphia
- Game 5-7 if necessary
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Knicks vs. 76ers Prediction on Spread for Game 3 – 5/8/26
Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Knicks vs. 76ers prediction on the spread for Friday, May 8.
Lock in your Knicks vs. 76ers prediction on PrizePicks before the line moves.
- The Knicks are a dominant 30-15-0 (66.7%) against the spread (ATS) at Madison Square Garden but just 17-27-0 (38.6%) ATS on the road.
- Philly has been the sixth-best team ATS this season, going 50-42-0 (54.4%).
- While the Knicks' starting lineup is as talented as they come, they do suffer from depth issues. If Anunoby, Hart, or both were to miss tonight’s contest, it would force some players into the rotation who may not be prepared for the moment.
- The Knicks' primary defensive weakness is allowing opponents to shoot 36.2% from deep (20th) on 38.4 3-point attempts per game (22nd).
- The 76ers are showing much more prowess from long range in the playoffs than they did in the regular season. So far in postseason play, they have the fifth-best 3-point percentage (35.7%) out of all 16 playoff teams.
Knicks vs. 76ers Player Picks, Stats for PrizePicks – 5/8/26
Here are the top 76ers vs. Knicks picks to target on PrizePicks for Friday, May 8. Today’s NBA picks for PrizePicks include Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Maxey.
Knicks G Jalen Brunson vs. 76ers Projection: 36.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- This is a notable pace-up game for Brunson and the Knicks, who are bottom five in the NBA in pace, facing the 76ers, who are ranked 15th.
- Brunson had more than this projection in three of his four regular-season matchups against Philadelphia this season, including two 31-point scoring performances.
- During the regular season, the 76ers gave up the ninth-most rebounds (45.3) and assists (27.6) per game.
- Sixers G Tyrese Maxey and G VJ Edgecombe have spent the most minutes guarding Brunson in this series, and they have defensive ratings above 113.0 as two of the 76ers' worst-graded defenders.
- If either Hart or Anunoby were to miss tonight’s matchup, that would only increase Brunson’s playmaking responsibilities if Hart were to sit, and his scoring may increase if OG were out.
Add Jalen Brunson to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
76ers G Tyrese Maxey vs. Knicks Projection: 35.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- Maxey had more than this projection in three of his four regular-season matchups against the Knicks this season; in all three, he scored 30+ points alone.
- We have discussed the Knicks' struggles defending the 3-point shot, and Maxey is the primary beneficiary of that leak. He is shooting 36.7% from deep on 8.6 attempts per game.
- Maxey has a usage rate increase of +6.1% in games without Joel Embiid. So if Embiid were to miss tonight’s matchup, this projection could increase by a point or two.
- Tyrese has spent a fair amount of time being guarded by opposing G Jalen Brunson, and that could only increase if G Josh Hart were to sit tonight. Brunson has a defensive rating of 114.1 and is the Knicks' worst-graded defender.
Add Tyrese Maxey to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
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NBA Playoffs Live Picks: Knicks vs. 76ers on PrizePicks for Game 3
Here are some in-game angles to target for your Knicks vs. 76ers live picks in tonight’s game.
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- If the 76ers win, it could be thanks to Maxey deep in his scoring bag. The 76ers' G is scoring 30.3 points per game in wins but just 25.9 in losses.
- During the regular season, the 76ers had the worst net rating in the NBA in the third quarter at -10.6.
- The Knicks flourish in the fourth. New York had the NBA’s best net rating in fourth quarters this season (+11.7), 3.7 points ahead of the second-place Pistons. They have won both fourth quarters in this series so far.
- Both games have featured an over in the first half and an under in the second half.
Make Knicks vs. 76ers Picks on PrizePicks
Will Philadelphia protect home court and make this a series again? Or will the Knicks' dominant postseason play continue to roll on in the City of Brotherly Love?
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