National Basketball Association
76ers' Tyrese Maxey questionable for Game 2 vs. Knicks; series odds shift
National Basketball Association

76ers' Tyrese Maxey questionable for Game 2 vs. Knicks; series odds shift

Published Apr. 22, 2024 2:02 p.m. ET

Already dealing with a seemingly hobbled Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers were dealt another blow before Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks on Monday, as point guard Tyrese Maxey is listed as questionable for the game with an illness on the team's injury report.

Maxey reportedly did not attend the team's morning shootaround at Madison Square Garden, before the 76ers will look to even the series on Monday night, after the Knicks rallied in the fourth quarter to win Game 1 111-104, behind a raucous home crowd on Saturday. 

Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, is also questionable after appearing to reinjure his left knee — which he underwent surgery on in February — on a dunk late in the first half of Game 1. 

Embiid briefly exited the game before eventually returning.

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The Knicks are far from healthy in their own right, having lost star power forward Julius Randle for the season after undergoing season-ending surgery on his right shoulder in April.  

Randle's absence and Embiid's ability to still play despite not being fully healthy were major reasons why the 76ers, despite needing to get through the play-in tournament to clinch the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference, were slightly favored to win the series over the second-seeded Knicks before the series began. 

DraftKings Sportsbook had the 76ers at -125 to win the series (bet $10 to win $18 total) entering Saturday and the Knicks at +105 odds (bet $10 to win $21.50 total). 

But after New York's Game 1 win and the latest Philadelphia injury news, those odds have swung dramatically toward New York, which is now -285 (bet $10 to win $13.51 total) to win the series. 

The 76ers' odds have lengthened to +220 (bet $10 to win $32 total).

The Knicks are also significant favorites to win Monday's Game 2 given the uncertainty around Maxey and, to a lesser extent, Embiid, who is expected to play after participating in shootaround on Monday morning. 

New York is currently -230 on the moneyline (bet $10 to win $14.35 total) to win Game 2, while Philadelphia is at +190 (bet $10 to win $29 total).

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