NBA playoffs best bets: Knicks vs. 76ers Game 3 prediction, odds, pick for Thu. 4/25  

Knicks vs. 76ers Odds

Thursday, April 25, 7:30 p.m., TNT

Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute NBA odds here.

New York Knicks

For as good as the Knicks have been on the road — 23-18 away from Madison Square Garden this season, third in the East behind the Celtics and Heat — they haven't been great as a road underdog against the spread.

Against the spread, they are 11-12-1 as a road 'dog, better than just 12 teams in the league. However, each of those covers were a victory as the Knicks are 11-13 straight up as road underdogs, giving them the fifth-best record in the NBA in this scenario.

Even though the Knicks are getting just 11% of bets as of Wednesday night, they are the sharp side, per Action Pro.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers are -4.5-point favorites for Game 3 and have 89% of bets on them to cover. They also have 53% of the money, according to Action Pro (as of Wednesday evening).

The Sixers were great during the regular season at home, going 21-12 against the spread as a favorite, good for sixth in the NBA and second in the Eastern Conference (Orlando was first). In general, the Sixers went 33-19 ATS in games in which they were favored, good for fifth in the NBA. The two losses to the Knicks and their Play-In win over the Miami Heat brought them to 32-10 in games with Joel Embiid, but his injury is obviously one to watch.

He's listed as questionable with his lingering knee injury, but the expectation, because it's the playoffs, is that he'll play until he can't … or until his team gets eliminated.

Knicks vs. 76ers

Betting Pick & Prediction

Can't you just see the Knicks going up 3-0?

Things just go wrong in Philadelphia.

And what if Embiid leaves early with an injury?

Last time, I took Philly's first-half spread (+3.5) and they ended the half with a lead. Jalen Brunson can't shoot this poorly all series, right? But also, someone other than Embiid and Tyrese Maxey needs to do something meaningful for the 76ers, right?

To me, this is another early Philly spot. They'll come out like a cheesesteak shop on fire and left hook the Knicks early. I'd lean toward backing them to win the game, but I can't trust them enough to make it a best bet.

The Sixers outscored the Knicks 34-25 and 25-18 in the first quarters this series, but got outscored 33-12 and 31-28 in the second quarters. I'll go with Philly -1.5 in the first quarter. I like this at -2 and am fine with it at -2.5.

Pick: Sixers -1.5 1Q (-120 on BetMGM)