Philadelphia and New York open their first-round playoff series Monday night at Madison Square Garden, with Game 1 set for 8 ET on NBC and Peacock.
The matchup arrives after both teams showed their best versions in the first round. The 76ers rallied past the Celtics after getting healthy for three games, while the Knicks finished the year with a top-10 defense after the All-Star break and ranked sixth in the NBA on defense from Jan. 1.
The place the series will be decided is still easy to see. It starts in Manhattan on Monday, moves to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday, May 8, and keeps going every other day through Game 6, with Game 7 on May 17 after a two-day break if the series goes that far.
Health is the one factor that hangs over Philadelphia more than anything else. Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey played together in only 22 regular-season games, and that number explains why the 76ers have spent so much of the season trying to find out who they are when the three share the floor.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday, May 6, at 7 ET on. Game 3 is Friday, May 8, at 7 ET on Prime Video, followed by Game 4 on May 10 at 3:30 ET on ABC. If needed, Game 5 is May 12, Game 6 is May 14 and Game 7 is May 17.
This is a rivalry with enough history that every possession tends to feel louder than it should, but the practical question is whether Philadelphia’s talent can hold up over a series built on the Knicks’ defense and a compressed schedule. The answer starts Monday night, and by the time the calendar reaches next weekend, one side should have a far clearer read on what it really is.