The defending NBA champion New York Knicks open their title defense Monday with a preseason road game against the Philadelphia 76ers, a matchup that oddsmakers have set as close to a pick’em, with Philadelphia favored by 1.5 points.
The Knicks return nearly their entire championship roster this season, having lost only regular contributor Mitchell Robinson from last year’s title team. Head coach Mike Brown has said he plans to give his starters limited minutes in the preseason opener, instead focusing on developing players further down the depth chart.
That means an extended look at New York’s younger players and roster hopefuls, including Mohamed Diawara, Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and two-way players Kevin McCuller Jr. and Tyler Nickel. Veterans competing for the team’s 15th roster spot — James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks and Bruce Brown among them — are also expected to see the floor.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, is unlikely to lean heavily on its main rotation players either, but the 76ers bring considerably more experience off their bench than New York does. Young players such as Justin Edwards and Dominick Barlow have already logged significant minutes for Philadelphia in both the regular season and the playoffs, giving the Sixers’ reserves a level of seasoning the Knicks’ developmental group has yet to match.
That disparity in bench experience is the chief reason oddsmakers and bettors see Monday’s preseason opener as a toss-up leaning slightly toward Philadelphia, despite New York entering the season as the reigning NBA champion.
