05/03/26 03:19:00
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05/03 15:17 CDT Joel Embiid wants Philadelphia fans at Philly games. The Knicks
know that New Yorkers are coming
Joel Embiid wants Philadelphia fans at Philly games. The Knicks know that New
Yorkers are coming
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer
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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