<p>The start of the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/events/nba">2025/26 NBA season</a> is almost here, with preseason scheduled to get underway this week.</p> <p>The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers will clash at the Etihad Stadium on Friday, October 3, at 02:00 AEST to kick the campaign off.</p> <p>There will be<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/basketball-us"> many NBA betting opportunities available</a> due to the nature of preseason, as it can be a very unpredictable time on the court. Bettors can use Sportsbet to learn <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-on-the-nba">how to bet on NBA games</a> and look to take advantage of potential value that may be found across the markets and lines set.</p> <h2>Knicks vs 76ers: Betting Preview</h2> <p>Preseason can be a challenging time to call, especially when there have been significant roster changes across two teams from the previous campaign.</p> <p>The New York Knicks are entering a new era under Mike Brown as their new coach, having decided to fire Tom Thibodeau after five seasons in charge. The team selected Kobe Sanders in the NBA Draft but traded him immediately to the Los Angeles Clippers, as they swapped with the team and drafted Mohamed Diawara instead.</p> <p>Still, they have managed to keep many of their key stars together, including the likes of Julius Randle and Karl-Anthony Towns, and are expected to improve on the 51-31 record from last season. OG Anunoby is another for whom many are expecting a big year.</p> <p>For the Philadelphia 76ers, Nick Nurse is entering his third NBA season in charge of the team, and they are looking to improve on a poor season. They finished with a record of 24–58 last time out, resulting in their first postseason miss since 2017.</p> <p>V. J. Edgecombe and Johni Broome were both selected in the draft and will look to add quality alongside players like Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Kyle Lowry (all of whom are injured currently).&nbsp;</p> <h2>Knicks vs 76ers: Betting Predictions</h2> <p>The latest betting odds for the Knicks vs 76ers have the Knicks as the favourites to win this preseason opener. The Knicks typically start preseason with plenty of intensity.</p> <p>Indeed, the recent head-to-head (H2H) record between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers shows that the Knicks typically dominate:</p> <ul> <li>In their last five games, the Knicks have won three, while the 76ers have won two. Last season, the Knicks defeated the 76ers 110-105 on February 26, 2025, and 105-91 on April 1, 2025.</li> <li>The Knicks have won six of their last seven meetings against the 76ers, including when they swept the 2024/25 season series 4-0 against Philadelphia.</li> <li>The point averages in the last five encounters are very close, with the Knicks scoring 109.2 points per game and the 76ers 108.6 points per game.</li> </ul> <p><br /> A high-scoring match could be on the cards, which is why the ‘Over’ in the ‘Total Points’ market is worth value. With stars likely to be rested and players wanting to prove themselves, it could be a frantic game.</p>