Outlast Pool

Knicks Shuffle Center Spot for Opening Night Survivor Pick

Oct 20, 2026

Knicks rethink the middle to start the season

New York opens the year with a different look at center — Opening Night will be the first glimpse of the Knicks without Mitchell Robinson in the rotation. That's a change worth tracking if you're leaning on New York for a free NBA knockout pool this week.

What it means for your Week 1 survivor pick

The schedule gives you a clear read. New York hosts Philadelphia on Oct. 20 as a 4.5-point favorite — the most favorable number on their slate, and the kind of home chalk survivor players gravitate toward early. From there it gets tougher: the Knicks travel to Boston on Oct. 23 as 2.5-point underdogs, a clear avoid. They close the week at home against Orlando on Oct. 25 with no line posted yet, so hold off on committing to that one until the number lands.

If you want New York for Week 1, the home opener against Philadelphia is the spot — just don't let a lingering interest in the Knicks pull you into the Boston road game, where they're not even favored. With the center rotation in flux, lean on the matchup math over roster hype, and check our latest NBA knockout pool picks before you lock it in. New to this format? Start a free survivor pool and read up on how survivor pools work.

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