After failing to close their first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers at home in Game 5, the New York Knicks handled business on their road trip in Game 6 and set up a date against the Indiana Pacers in the second round. The Knicks won two straight games at the Wells Fargo Center because they felt largely comfortable at the 76ers’ home arena as droves of New Yorkers made the short trip to Philadelphia to support their team.
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The Knicks contingent in Philadelphia during Game 4 was so loud that Joel Embiid had to address the situation in the post-game press conference. He said,
“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. So, they’ve always shown up, and I don’t think that should happen. Yeah, it’s not OK.”
Embiid’s admission prompted the 76ers’ ownership group to spring into action and prevent New Yorkers from highjacking their arena for the second game in a row. Ahead of Game 6, they bought 2,000 tickets and distributed them among Philadelphians to ensure crowd support was in the 76ers’ favor.
Josh Harris, David Blitzer, @david_adelman and I just bought more than 2,000 tix for Sixers Game 6 – we absolutely CANNOT let Knicks fans take over our arena again!!! Giving them to first responders, health care professionals and other local Philadelphia-based organizations once… https://t.co/HQkOWJpHgB
— Michael Rubin (@michaelrubin) May 1, 2024
The ownership group’s efforts did little to silence the Knicks fans inside the Wells Fargo Center during Game 6, as they saw their team close the series with a 118-115 win.
Josh Hart drops a zinger and roasts the 76ers’ ownership group
Post-game, Josh Hart could not resist taking a dig at the 76ers’ owners’ desperate maneuver to keep New Yorkers out of their arena. When asked how it felt to be back in Philadelphia and winning, he responded,
“It felt great. We knew this was gonna be a tough environment. A little tougher than last game because there were 2,500 seats that were taken up. But we knew it was gonna be a battle, we knew it was gonna be a grind. And you gotta give [the 76ers] credit. It was a tough series, a tough place to play, but a place we are all comfortable at.”
"We knew this was gonna be a tough environment. A little tougher than last game because there were 2,500 seats that were taken up."
– Josh Hart pic.twitter.com/MekgmyW5Wh
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 3, 2024
Hart wasn’t just satisfied with the win but seized the opportunity to rub salt in the 76ers’ owners’ wounds. The team gave it their all, especially Joel Embiid, who was nursing a knee injury and was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, and guard Tyrese Maxey. But the home support left a lot to be desired despite the owners’ best attempts to get the crowd behind the 76ers.
