The Philadelphia 76ers have to yet again lace up to play without Joel Embiid as they face off against division rival New York Knicks. Embiid is still struggling with his knee injury, so the 76ers are hoping Maxey and Paul George can pick up the slack. On the other side of the ball, the Knicks are playing well despite recent losses to Boston and Los Angeles. This should end up being an exciting matchup even without Embiid.
76ers at Knicks Start Em’
Karl Anthony Towns (Draft Kings Price 10.1K, FanDuel Price 9.7K)
While many are sad that Embiid still isn’t healthy enough to step on a court, Karl Anthony Towns might be happy about this. Now, there is no Embiid to defend him while he takes the ball in the paint. KAT is proving to be more of a stretch center as his perimeter shooting only gets better, but because of the matchup, he might score in the low block more than usual in this game.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (Draft Kings Price 5.9K, FanDuel Price 6.6K)
The biggest weakness that the Knicks have is that at times they can look tired on defense. This is a big matter of concern going up against players like Oubre Jr. who thrive driving the ball and finding flashy layups and mid-range shots. Since the New York defense will be more concerned with covering Tyler Maxey (rightfully so), there should be plenty of opportunities for Oubre Jr. to drive to the rack.
Tyrese Maxey (Draft Kings Price 9.3K, FanDuel Price 9.9K)
For all the woes Philadelphia has had to deal with this season, Tyrese Maxey’s performance might be their only ray of hope. He dropped 30 points in two of his last five games. It’s not like this is coming against weak competition either; he dropped 39 against the Bucks. That being said, it’s doubtful that the Knicks backcourt is going to contain Maxey.
76ers at Knicks Sit Em’
OG Anunoby (Draft Kings Price 5.9K, FanDuel Price 5.9K)
There are two complications that make Anunoby not a great look in this game. First of all, he is dealing with a foot injury, which makes him a game-time decision. Secondly, if he is cleared to play, he will likely fall into a kick-out option role for when Brunson or KAT need to pass out to the perimeter. Anunoby can knock it down from distance easily, but he won’t get many looks with the ball this way.
Paul George (Draft Kings Price 7.1K, FanDuel Price 7.3K)
There is some evidence showing that George is on the right track. He has been scoring in double digits for the past week. He hasn’t been showing flashes of his old self, though, and because of this, he might spend most of the night passing to Tyrese Maxey. Karl Anthony can always switch on to George in the paint and make his life really difficult if George tries to score on his own.
Mikal Bridges (Draft Kings Price 6.5K, FanDuel Price 6.3K)
Bridges tends to get less than 30 min each night. Therefore, he doesn’t touch the ball enough for DFS, especially on an offense that is run through Jalen Brunson. Bridges consistently gets around 16 points, but DFS players definitely want to be on the upside on another guard who can at least reach 20 points.
76ers at Knicks Lock
Jalen Brunson (Draft Kings Price 8.9K, FanDuel Price 9.1K)
Despite winning or losing, Jalen Brunson’s performance never wavers. He consistently scores well every night regardless of the opponent. Tyrese Maxey might put up a good fight trying to guard Brunson, but it’s very difficult to defend a player who can pull up from distance at any time or drive the lane with what seems to be an endless arsenal of moves. Brunson can score from anywhere on the court, and he is certainly worth paying a little extra for.
76ers at Knicks Fade
Lonnie Walker IV (Draft Kings Price 3.4K, FanDuel Price 4K)
Walker IV had shown some promise playing overseas. He was only recently picked up by Philadelphia, however. He still is learning the system, and on top of that, he won’t see many minutes in close games where the 76ers will need their starters. It’s better to wait on putting faith into Walker IV until they get a sure-win matchup.
