Sixers Paul Reed wanted 'easier' Knicks matchup in NBA playoffs. 3 reasons why he's right

Paul Reed will certainly get an earful when the 76ers open their Eastern Conference playoff series against the New York Knicks on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

After all, the Sixers backup center had this to say Thursday about the first-round best-of-seven matchup on FanDuel TV’s NBA-centric show, "Run It Back": "We ain't ducking no smoke. But yeah, we wanted the Knicks matchup, of course. That's the easier team."

Well, duh.

The Sixers, the No. 7 seed, got the matchup with the No. 2 seed Knicks after rallying from a 14-point deficit to beat the Miami Heat 105-104 in the NBA play-in tournament on Wednesday night. Had the Sixers lost, they would have played the Chicago Bulls for the right to play the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round.

The Celtics finished with the NBA's best record of 64-18. The Knicks, at 50-32, were in second place in the Eastern Conference, but a distant 14 games behind the Celtics.

So yes, the Knicks are the so-called "easier team."

Reed's video clip will certainly find its way onto the tablets and/or phones of every Knicks player and coach, no doubt being played on loop. Sure, that might rile up the Knicks players, not to mention the MSG faithful, but the Sixers can − and should − beat the Knicks in the series.

That's because despite the difference in seeds, there are only three games separating the two teams after the Sixers finished the regular season 47-35.

That's an indication that the two teams are evenly matched. But that's misleading, too. Here are three reasons why, followed by a prediction:

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1. The Joel Embiid factor

Any chance the Sixers have in this series begins with center Joel Embiid. He returned April 2 after missing a little more than two months to have knee surgery. But Embiid tweaked the knee last Friday against Orlando and sat out the season finale on Sunday against the Nets.

Embiid played Wednesday, but clearly didn't have the same lift as he did during the five games since his return. Embiid had 23 points on 6-for-17 shooting, well below his season average of 34.7 points per game. Embiid was only 3-for-12 for 12 points through three quarters.

Still, in the final 2:32, Embiid made a clutch 3-pointer, converted a 3-point play, and assisted on Kelly Oubre's 3-point play.

"We stuck together," Embiid said. "It just shows if I don’t play my best, and I don’t get to my spots through the whole game up to the fourth quarter, we still found a way to win. (The Heat) like to make it nasty. We can do it, too. We made it nasty, too, and that’s why it was all about defense in such a low-scoring (game)."

The Knicks can make it nasty as well behind head coach Tom Thibodeau. If Embiid can play his regular minutes and play effectively, the Sixers can survive the nastiness.

2. Don't be fooled by Sixers' record or seeding

As mentioned above, only three games separated the Sixers and Knicks.

But the Sixers have won nine straight games and were 31-8 in games that Embiid played in during the regular season. They're 32-8 with Embiid after the win over Miami. That works out to a winning percentage of .800. No team in the NBA, not even the top-seeded Celtics (.780), had a winning percentage that high.

Sure, the Knicks handed the Sixers one of those eight losses with Embiid in a lopsided 128-92 Sixers defeat on Jan. 5. But the Knicks were at full strength with Julius Randle in the lineup. Randle, who averaged 24 points per game, last played on Jan. 27 and had season-ending shoulder surgery.

And sure, the Knicks and Sixers played three more times after that, with the Knicks winning two of them, both by double digits. The one game the Sixers won was an ugly 79-73 decision, tying the Sixers' lowest-scoring game of the season, even in defeat.

Embiid didn't play in any of those games, so they're essentially meaningless. And the lopsided loss with Embiid was more than three months ago.

And while the Knicks ended the season on a five-game winning streak to get the No. 2 seed, they had lost four of their previous five before that.

3. Cutting off 'the head of the snake' in Jalen Brunson

Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey called the Knicks "an extremely grimy team," and Maxey knows exactly where that begins.

"They start at the head of the snake with Jalen Brunson," he said. "We gotta find ways to slow them down. ... They play hard. They’re physical. They’re tough. That’s their identity. We have to match that and overcome that."

Brunson led the Knicks by averaging 28.7 points per game. It'll be a great matchup with Maxey, who averaged 25.9 points. But the Knicks don't have anyone who can match up with Embiid (who does?). Knicks forward OG Anunoby will no doubt help out on defense.

The Sixers will have to keep an eye on sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo, the Salesianum School grad who teamed with Brunson and Knicks guard Josh Hart at Villanova. DiVincenzo hit 283 3-pointers this season, third in the NBA to only Stephen Curry (357) and Luca Doncic (284).

In many ways, Randle's absence gave DiVincenzo a chance to play, and he responded with career highs in points (15.5) and minutes per game (29).

This is where the Sixers will rely on role players like Kelly Oubre, Kyle Lowry, Buddy Hield and Nicolas Batum.

If they can come through, and Embiid can stay healthy, then Reed's calling the Knicks the "easier team" will be proven right.

Prediction: Sixers in 6

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.