Fresh off one of the most remarkable comebacks in franchise history, Joel Embiid has already turned his attention to the next challenge, and he’s calling on Philadelphia fans to play their part.
After the 76ers stormed back from a 3-1 deficit to eliminate the Boston Celtics, Embiid delivered a direct message with a second-round showdown against the New York Knicks looming.
“I just have a message for our fans,” Embiid said postgame. “Last time we played the Knicks, it felt like [Philadelphia] was Madison Square Garden East. We’re going to need the support.
“Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys.”
The concern stems from past experience. During the teams’ previous playoff meeting, Knicks fans flooded the Wells Fargo Center, creating a road-like atmosphere for the Sixers in their own building, something Embiid clearly hasn’t forgotten.
Philadelphia appears to be taking additional steps to prevent a repeat, implementing ticket sale restrictions tied to billing addresses within the Greater Philadelphia area.
Still, the reality of the secondary market makes it difficult to fully control who ends up in the stands.
Knicks forward Josh Hart acknowledged as much when discussing the situation.
“Good thing about New Yorkers, man, they’re persistent. They don’t care, bro. They’re going to do it, man,” 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.”
Embiid, however, isn’t backing down from his plea, even jokingly offering financial help to keep tickets in the hands of Sixers supporters.
“Knicks fans travel — they buy tickets,” he said. “There’s going to be people who will sell the tickets because they need the money. Don’t do it, we need you guys. We need the support, and we need them to be extremely loud. If you need money, I’ve got you.”
The stakes are high. Philadelphia is riding momentum after snapping a decades-long playoff drought against Boston, with Embiid leading the charge following his return from injury. His dominant performances helped flip the series and rewrite the team’s postseason narrative.
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