(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers earned the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference by coming from behind to defeat the feisty Miami Heat in the play-in tournament on Wednesday.
They’re now on their way to Midtown Manhattan to take on the New York Knicks in a first-round playoff series that could be very interesting and competitive.
Nick Wright said on FS1’s “First Things First” that he thinks the 76ers will squeak by in a very hard-fought series.
.@getnickwright is taking the 76ers over the Knicks … with great trepidation
He explains: pic.twitter.com/j8KdBIpYZH
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) April 18, 2024
Wright’s reasoning started with a backhanded compliment of Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau.
He said Thibodeau pushes his players so hard during the regular season that they never have a higher gear they get to during the playoffs.
Thibodeau has been criticized over the years for playing his starters too many minutes during the regular season, and it’s something that can sometimes hurt a squad during the postseason.
Wright also cited the injury Julius Randle is dealing with that prematurely ended his season as a reason he thinks New York will lose this series.
The 76ers had to endure an injury of their own to reigning league MVP Joel Embiid, but Embiid is back, and while he’s not in game shape, Wright said the Knicks cannot matchup with him.
Philly looked to be a championship contender before Embiid suffered his meniscus injury at midseason, and now that he has returned to game action, the hope is that he will return to form soon enough for them to go very far in the playoffs.
The post Nick Wright Reveals His Pick For 76ers, Knicks Series appeared first on The Cold Wire.