We beg to differ here with Charles Barkley, who pronounced Tuesday on TNT that the Sixers would be the winner of this series even before Philly survived the 7-8 play-in matchup vs. the Heat. Though Joel Embiid was good enough (23 & 15) to allow a Sixers escape vs. Miami, and only played in one of the four regular season meetings vs. the Knicks, he still seems a bit less than 100% after his late-season knee injury absence. Meanwhile, we would not sleep on New York, with Jalen Brunson scoring at a 35.9 ppg clip in April, and the Knicks a sparkling 20-3 in games with OG Anunoby on the floor after his addition from the Raptors during the holidays. Play Knicks

This isn't asking much of Kelly Oubre. He is averaging nearly 18 points the last month. He's had two unders his last two games which is giving us a good buy low spot. He had a slow start and early foul trouble against Miami, and I don't see that happening two games in a row. He averages 16 points on the road and nearly 19 against the Knicks.

It took Nicolas Batum scoring 20 points and hitting six three-pointers for the 76ers to squeak out a win over the Heat and secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Joel Embiid labored throughout the game and may still not be 100 percent. The Knicks are well rested and have OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson back in the fold. During the regular season, the Knicks went 27-14 at home. Look for them to start off the series with a victory.

The Sixers did NOT look good. Embid is not 100%, and they needed NBatum to bail them out v the Heat. The Knicks don’t miss JRandle as much as the media suggests, the Knicks win this game and the series. Find a place to bet the series and do that too

Philadelphia barely got past the Heat on Wednesday. Joel Embiid still seemed bothered from his meniscus injury and even though they have a few days off before game one he still won’t be 100%. The Knicks are the much healthier and better defensive team. New York has Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein to defend Embiid while also having the more defensive minded and grittier guard play. The Knicks are also 20-3 SU with OG Anunoby in the lineup this season.

I was decidedly unimpressed with the Sixers on Wednesday as they don't likely win unless Nic Batum goes crazy from deep and Miami's Jimmy Butler doesn't hurt his knee in the first quarter -- he kept playing but was not the same. And the Heat only lost by a point. The Knicks are well-rested, healthy (other than Julius Randle) and it should be a nuts crowd on Saturday night at MSG. New York won the season series 3-1, although Joel Embiid only played in one. The Knicks won that in a rout.