Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks Picks and Prediction for Tuesday October 20 2026
In the second game of an opening night NBA tripleheader on NBC, the Philadelphia 76ers will take on the New York Knicks. The World’s Most Famous Arena will be the setting and tipoff is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 7:00 pm EST. The Knicks have been installed as a 5.5 point favorite and the total is set at 231.5. Be ready for all of this season's NBA action with our free NBA picks.
Philadelphia ready to see the process come to fruition
The Philadelphia 76ers finished seventh in the Eastern Conference a season ago and upset Boston in an exhilarating seven game series. The 76ers (45-37) ran out of gas and were swept in the second round against New York, but enter the 2026-2027 campaign with plenty of optimism. Philadelphia started the offseason by shipping Paul George to Boston for All-Star G Jaylen Brown and followed that by signing LeBron James in free agency.
The 76ers were a middle of the pack defensive team, but Jaylen Brown instantly makes them better on that side of the ball. Philadelphia ranked in the bottom five of the league in effective field goal percentage and this squad will be challenged to shoot from long distance. Anfernee Simons will be counted on to provide scoring punch off the bench.
Philadelphia Projected starting lineup
- G Tyrese Maxey
- G V.J. Edgecombe
- F Jaylen Brown
- F LeBron James
- C Joel Embiid
New York ready to defend their title
The New York Knicks won 30 of 40 home games last season and ran through the playoffs to win their first NBA Championship since 1973. With the Knicks (53-29) trailing 2-1 in the first round of the postseason, head coach Mike Brown unlocked the offense by moving All-Star C Karl-Anthony Towns into a playmaking role. New York returns their entire starting lineup, but lost rim-protecting C Mitchell Robinson to Boston in free agency.
New York ranked second in the league in offensive efficiency and are led by NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson. With Towns handling the ball more in the half court his assists went up and Brunson did not wear out down the stretch. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are two of the best defenders in the league, which allowed the Knicks to improve to seventh in defensive efficiency.
New York Projected starting lineup
- G Jalen Brunson
- G Josh Hart
- F Mikal Bridges
- F OG Anunoby
- C Karl-Anthony Towns
Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks Picks and Prediction
Pick: Philadelphia 76ers +5.5 and +170 ML
Philadelphia C Ariel Hukporti suffered a ruptured right Achilles in preseason and will miss the entire season. The 76ers have assembled a top-five roster, but it remains to be seen if they can stay healthy. The Knicks will miss Robinson’s presence on defense and Philadelphia has the pieces to exploit that weakness. Take the 76ers to pull off the upset.
Pick: Under 231
It is hard to imagine Philadelphia playing with much pace this season. Joel Embiid takes his time to get up the floor and LeBron James is 41 years old. New York played at the fourth slowest pace last season and is an underrated defensive squad. This is a division rivalry and both teams know each other well. Take the under.
Final Score Prediction: Philadelphia 76ers win 114-109