Having humbled the Atlanta Hawks, the New York Knicks will now look to give the Philadelphia 76ers fits.

The second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs is fully formed, and it situates the Knicks against a lasting foe. Standing between a second consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearance — and maybe more — are the Sixers, who are fresh off upsetting the Boston Celtics in Round 1.

The best-of-seven series, the 11th all-time NBA Playoff meeting between New York and Philadelphia, gets underway on Monday at Madison Square Garden (8:00 p.m. ET, NBC).

Knicks X-Factor lays out its prediction for the series, along with the other second-round get-togethers below…

Geoff Magliocchetti: Knicks in 5

New York is currently basking in the downfall of one rival locale (Boston) and can hasten the similar undoing of another.

Back in the early stages of winter, the 76ers would probably rank at the bottom of a list of desirable New York playoff opponents: they were letting the 76ers get open from deep (Philadelphia hit 34 three-pointers in the opening pair) and letting finesse triumph over physicality before restoring metropolitan sanity in the latter pair.

The most recent get-together at Xfinity Mobile Arena proved to be a preview of what the basketball world saw in the Hawks series finale: a 49-point victory that might not have been as close as the scoreboard indicated, one that saw the Knicks play relentlessly well-rounded and aggressively.

It’s perhaps no surprise to see the basketball world embrace the Sixers as a popular second-round upset. Part of that is the momentum generated by the Boston series, and part of that is the Knicks tax, which seems to be assessed for the pure pleasure of watching the Manhattan faithful suffer. But, if anything, the Knicks may have only gotten better since that sizable shellacking

Add in the idea that the Knicks have every reason to take things personally—Joel Embiid’s Monday entrance will likely be one for the jeering ages after his previous encounters with Mitchell Robinson and Joel Embiid—and it makes them probably the most dangerous team left on the Eastern bracket, if not the Association entirely.

They’ll take the former for now, being a group in no position to address its fate beyond one step at a time.

Robby Sabo: Knicks in 7

Interestingly, the Philadelphia 76ers pose a contrasting threat to that of the Atlanta Hawks. Usually, the New York Knicks’ Kryptonite, length, and athleticism, didn’t save the young Hawks in Round 1.

In Round 2, however, Philly brings more toughness to the table, along with something that rivals athleticism as the Knicks’ toughest battle to overcome: a speedy point guard.

Tyrese Maxey is the key to the series. How New York matches up with him, at the point, with Jalen Brunson on the floor, is the deal.

While it wouldn’t stun me in the least to see the Sixers pull off the upset, it’s nearly impossible to bet on the oft-injured Joel Embiid. Give me the Knicks in seven, a squad whose homecourt advantage is more important than any other NBA team.

As long as the Knicks continue to run the offense that is much more familiar with that of last year’s version — which means featuring Karl-Anthony Towns when necessary, and not looking to push the pace at every turn — they should have no problem getting to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season.

The rest of the NBA

(1) Detroit vs. (4) Cleveland

  • Magliocchetti: Pistons in 6
  • Sabo: Pistons in 5

(1) Oklahoma City vs. (4) LA Lakers

  • Magliocchetti: Thunder in 6
  • Sabo: Thunder in 5

(2) San Antonio vs. (6) Minnesota

  • Magliocchetti: Spurs in 5
  • Sabo: Spurs in 7