GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — Joel Embiid wants Philadelphia fans at the Philadelphia games.
Good luck with that. One way or another, the Knicks know the New Yorkers are coming.
The 76ers and Knicks begin the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday at Madison Square Garden, which is expected to be packed with Knicks fans, from the celebrities in the front row all the way to the die-hards way up top.
Both teams already are looking ahead to what happens when the series moves to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.
When they met two years ago in the first round, Knicks fans swarmed Philadelphia and Embiid pleaded with fans not to let it happen again.
“Last time we played the Knicks it felt like this was Madison Square Garden East. So we’re going to need the support,” Embiid said. “Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys. The atmosphere we’ve had the last couple games in Philly, especially the last one pushing it to Game 7, I mean, we need all of it."
The 76ers are trying to do their part. A message on their website reads: “Xfinity Mobile Arena is located in Philadelphia, PA. Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of Greater Philadelphia area. Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside Greater Philadelphia area will be canceled without notice and refunds given.”
Even if that works, there's nothing that can prevent big-spending backers of the Knicks from buying from Philadelphia fans who choose to sell.
“Good thing about New Yorkers, man, they’re persistent. They don’t care, bro. They're going to do it, man,” Knicks forward Josh Hart said. “And for a lot of people, everything revolves around money. So, you know, if they get a good price for those tickets, they’re going to sell them.”
Hart, who played in college at Villanova, noted that it's less than a two-hour drive from New York to Philadelphia — even quicker by train — and that it's likely far cheaper to buy tickets for the road games.
Embiid was disappointed in 76ers fans during the 2024 series, when Jalen Brunson received raucous “MVP! MVP!” chants while scoring 47 points as the Knicks won Game 4 in Philadelphia. Embiid said afterward that: "I don’t think that should happen. It’s not OK.”
Sixers owners then bought and gave away more than 2,000 tickets to people who serve the Philadelphia community when the Knicks returned for Game 6.
If any Philadelphians are looking to sell, Embiid is ready to buy.
“Knicks fans, they travel," he said. "There’s going to be some people that need the money and probably going to sell tickets, but don’t do it. We need you guys. We’ve got a pretty good chance. We’re going to need our support. We’re going to need them to be extremely loud and if you need money, I got you.”
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