Date: Monday, May 4, 2026 | Venue: Madison Square Garden | Time: 8:00 PM ET | TV: NBC/Peacock
Per Sixers Wire (May 4): G Jalen Brunson | G Mikal Bridges | F Josh Hart | F OG Anunoby | C Karl-Anthony Towns
Knicks last played April 30 (Game 6 vs. ATL, 140-89 win). Four full days of rest before Game 1. No travel — hosting at MSG. The 76ers finished Game 7 vs. Boston on May 2 and traveled from Philadelphia, giving New York a significant rest edge. Knicks carry a 30-10 home record with a +10 PPG home margin this season. (OddsIndex, May 4)
Season series split 2-2, with the road team winning — and covering — every game:
All four regular-season meetings went over the total (combined avg: 230 pts per game), per CBS Sports (May 4). Previous playoff series: Knicks defeated 76ers 4-2 in 2024 first round. (Sixers Wire, May 4)
Knicks Advantages:
Knicks Vulnerabilities:
T-12h Lines (captured ~May 3, ~10 hours ago):
T-2h Lines (as of May 4, ~6:00 PM ET):
Line Movement Summary:
Knicks targeting first Finals since 1999. After ECF loss to Pacers last season, this core is locked in. Jalen Brunson averaged 30.0 PPG in his last 5 home playoff games. MSG crowd factor is significant. The Knicks are 53-29 overall this season and 30-10 at home. (Posting and Toasting, May 4)
Last updated: ~2 hours before tip-off (8 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Joel Embiid — PROBABLE (right hip contusion; right finger tendon strain — NEW). The early entry only listed the hip contusion; an updated injury report (TalkBasket, May 4) also flags a right finger tendon strain. Both are PROBABLE, not questionable. ESPN's Shams Charania confirmed Monday morning that "the expectation is that Joel Embiid plays." This removes the last meaningful ambiguity about his availability. Note: the appendectomy designation has been fully removed from the report — Embiid is ~3 weeks post-surgery. (Yahoo Sports/Athlon Sports, May 4; TalkBasket, May 4; PhillyVoice, May 3)
Tyrese Maxey — ⚠️ NEW FINDING: Right finger tendon strain (splint required), AVAILABLE. Not listed in the early entry at all. Maxey is fully available but playing with a splint on a finger tendon strain. He has been PHI's leading scorer this postseason at 26.9 PPG in 40.9 minutes per game. This injury did not affect his Game 7 performance (34 pts, 12 reb, 6 ast from Embiid alongside Maxey's big game) but is worth monitoring for dribble/handle impact. (TalkBasket, May 4)
Cameron Payne — OUT (right hamstring strain). No rotation impact.
Paul George — NOT on the injury report. Full availability confirmed. (Reddit/Krell via SixersAdam, May 3)
| POS | PLAYER |
|---|
| G | Tyrese Maxey |
| G | VJ Edgecombe |
| F | Paul George |
| F | Kelly Oubre Jr. |
| C | Joel Embiid |
No surprises. This is the expected unit. (SixersWire, May 4)
PHI will wear Icon Edition (Blue) jerseys tonight — NOT their white "lucky" jerseys worn in all four wins vs. Boston, including Games 2, 5, and 7 at TD Garden. Minor psychological note: some players/staff are reportedly aware of the superstition around the white jerseys. (Philadelphia Inquirer, May 4)
The 76ers held a morning shootaround at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Head coach Nick Nurse was seen enthusiastically clapping as players filed in — described as having "a lot of energy" despite the quick turnaround. Reserve guard Quentin Grimes (former Knick) noted he's "been here, played here" and told teammates to expect "an insane atmosphere." Grimes told Paul George and younger players to expect an atmosphere similar to or worse than TD Garden in Game 7. (Philadelphia Inquirer, May 4)
PHI won Game 7 at TD Garden on May 2 and traveled directly to New York — just two days' rest. This is the minimum possible turnaround in a series transition. PHI played 4 games in 10 days to close Round 1, with Embiid logging 39 minutes in Game 7. The Embiid load-management concern is real (finger strain + hip contusion + 3 weeks post-appendectomy), though his PROBABLE designation and Charania's morning confirmation have settled most doubt about participation.