PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid expressed his disappointment, not just because the Philadelphia 76ers are on the brink of elimination.
After a 97-92 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday that put Philadelphia in a 3-1 series hole, Embiid spoke out about the turnout at his home arena, calling it “disappointing.”
Knicks supporters dominated large sections of the Wells Fargo Center, rallying behind their team with cheers and even chanting MVP for their point guard, Jalen Brunson.
Embiid shared his thoughts post-game, stating, “I love our fans. (I) think it’s unfortunate and I’m not calling them out, but it is disappointing. Obviously you got a lot of Knicks fans and they’re down the road and I’ve never seen it, and I’ve been here for 10 years. Yeah, it kind of pisses me off, especially because Philly is considered a sports town. They’ve always shown up and I don’t think that should happen. Yeah. It’s not OK.”
“Kind of pisses me off, especially because Philly is considered a sports town.” pic.twitter.com/zfghjGvi94
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 28, 2024
New York fans weren’t just present due to the Knicks’ immense fan base; the proximity also played a role.
The Amtrak train ride from New York to Philadelphia is only 90 minutes, making it convenient for Knicks fans to travel for a 1 p.m. weekend tipoff and return home before dinner. This ability to travel well is a hallmark of Knicks fans in other cities as well.
Knicks fans are known to take over arenas in cities with less devoted fanbases. They’re a common sight in places like Orlando, Washington, D.C., and Brooklyn. And this wasn’t the first time they infiltrated the Wells Fargo Center, having done so during a game in January.
Philadelphia sports fans have a passionate reputation, living and breathing for their teams like the 76ers. Brunson, who led the Knicks with 47 points in Game 4, is familiar with this intensity having played college basketball at Villanova near Philadelphia.
“No matter where we are, they’re gonna be there. I’m appreciative, I’m thankful… and a lot of these situations wouldn’t be done without them.”
Brunson on seeing Knicks fans and hearing MVP chants in Philly 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/ZJnyoULyJw
— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2024
But there’s one more aspect at play here.
“This Philadelphia fan base, I’ve said this before, they’re very relentless, very passionate,” Brunson acknowledged. “I mean, I’m an Eagles fan, I would know, but seeing the Knicks, hearing the Knicks here is pretty cool. It’s awesome.”
(Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)