NBA Playoffs : Knicks to Be Challenged by 76ers in First-Round Series

Besides the Lakers-Portland Trail Blazers, three other National Basketball Assn. playoff series will begin tonight, including what promises to be the league’s best first-round matchup--the New York Knicks vs. the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Knicks, who will play host to Games 1 and 2, won the Atlantic Division title and had the third-best record in the Eastern Conference at 52-30, behind Detroit and Cleveland. But they lost four of six to the 76ers, who finished second in the Atlantic with a 46-36 record.

“We’ll take the Knicks, said Charles Barkley, 76er forward. “I’m not saying we will beat them; I’m saying that we can beat them.”

Other games tonight: Milwaukee, 49-33, at Atlanta, 52-30, in the Eastern Conference, the Hawks having beaten the Bucks all six times they played this season, and Golden State, 43-39, at Utah, 51-31, in the Western Conference.

On Friday, Denver, 44-38, will play at Phoenix, 55-27, and Houston, 45-37, will be at Seattle, 47-35, in the West. The winner of the Laker-Trail Blazer series will meet the winner of the Rockets-SuperSonics series in the next round.

In the East, Cleveland, 57-25, plays host to Chicago, 47-35, and Boston, 42-40, is at Detroit, 63-19, for a rematch of the 1988 conference final, won by the Pistons. The Celtics have activated Larry Bird, who missed the last 76 games after surgery on both heels, but he isn’t expected to play unless they advance past the first round.

“He will be ready to come back and practice with the team next week,” said Arnold Scheller, the Celtics’ team physician. “He is two weeks away from game competition. He won’t be expected to play in the Detroit series.”

Cleveland may not have Mark Price, who sat out practice Wednesday with a pulled groin, for the opener against Chicago. The Cavaliers are 3-4 in games that their starting point guard has missed.