PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid is dissatisfied, and never simply because his Philadelphia 76ers are just one sport away from elimination.
Embiid mentioned, following a 97-92 defeat to the New York Knicks on Sunday that widened Philadelphia’s deficit in its first-round collection to 3-1, that he discovered the turnout at his dwelling area “disappointing.”
Knicks followers stuffed up giant parts of the Wells Fargo Middle on Sunday, serenading the staff with cheers and its level guard, Jalen Brunson, with MVP chants.
“I like our followers,” Embiid mentioned after the sport. “(I) assume it’s unlucky and I’m not calling them out, however it’s disappointing. Clearly you bought plenty of Knicks followers they usually’re down the highway and I’ve by no means seen it, and I’ve been right here for 10 years. Yeah, it type of pisses me off, particularly as a result of Philly is taken into account a sports activities city. They’ve all the time proven up and I don’t assume that ought to occur. Yeah. It’s not OK.”
“Form of pisses me off, particularly as a result of Philly is taken into account a sports activities city.” pic.twitter.com/zfghjGvi94
— NBC Sports activities Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 28, 2024
New Yorkers didn’t present up solely as a result of the Knicks personal one of many NBA’s largest fan bases. It was additionally in regards to the location.
The Amtrak experience from New York’s Penn Station to Philadelphia’s thirtieth Avenue Station is barely 90 minutes. With a 1 p.m., weekend tipoff, Knicks followers might prepare right down to Philly and return dwelling earlier than time for supper. After all, Knicks followers are identified for touring nicely.
The staff routinely takes over crowds in different, much less intense markets. Orlando is oft referred to in jest as New York South, due to all of the Knicks followers who invade Kia Middle every time the orange and blue play there. The Capital One Area crowd in Washington, D.C. turns into majority-Knicks twice a yr, too, as do these in attendance simply throughout the bridge at Barclay’s Middle.
This isn’t the primary time they’ve streamed into the Wells Fargo Middle, both.
Earlier this season, Knicks followers spilled into the 76ers’ area throughout a 36-point romping of Philly. By the top, when most of the Philadelphia followers had cleared out, Brunson was receiving MVP chants in a highway area, one which homes an in any other case passionate fan base.
Philly sports activities followers have their very own repute, too.
They reside or die with their main sports activities groups, together with the 76ers. Brunson, who went for 47 factors within the Recreation 4 victory, is extra conversant in it than your common NBA participant. He might have by no means performed for the Sixers, however he starred in school at Villanova College, which is simply exterior Philadelphia and performs its video games in the identical area because the Sixers.
“Irrespective of the place we’re, they’re gonna be there. I am appreciative, I am grateful… and plenty of these conditions would not be carried out with out them.”
Brunson on seeing Knicks followers and listening to MVP chants in Philly 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/ZJnyoULyJw
— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2024
There’s another reason, too.
“This Philadelphia fan base, I’ve mentioned this earlier than, they’re very relentless, very passionate,” Brunson mentioned. “I imply, I’m an Eagles fan, I might know, however seeing the Knicks, listening to the Knicks right here is fairly cool. It’s superior.”
(Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs)
