Joel Embiid 'disappointed' by Knicks fans taking over Sixers arena
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid.
The Sixers were playing at home Sunday but it felt like an away game for Joel Embiid & Co. As the Knicks held them to just 16 points in the fourth quarter, a section of fans at Wells Fargo Arena chanted “Defense! Defense!” and applauded every time Embiid or Tyrese Maxey missed a shot.
To make matters worse, a contingent of Knicks fans started a “Knicks in five” chant after their team completed a 97-92 win to take a 3-1 lead in the series.
After the game, Embiid expressed disappointment that his team couldn’t enjoy the home-court advantage that teams covet at this time of the year. While the star big man didn’t blame the Sixers fanbase for getting outnumbered, he was admittedly shocked to see the turn of events.
“Disappointed,” Embiid told reporters. “I love our fans. I think it’s unfortunate, and I’m not calling them out, but it is disappointing. Obviously, you’ve got a lot of Knicks fans that are down the road [less than 100 miles away]. I’ve never seen it [an away team take over] and I’ve been here for 10 years. It kinda pi—- me off, especially because Philly is considered a sports town, so they’ve always shown up. I don’t think that should happen. It’s not okay.”
The Knicks fanbase has ample reason to be joyful. The 2023-24 season marked the Knicks’ first 50-win campaign in a decade, and some feel the franchise has returned to relevancy for the first time since the Patrick Ewing era.
Jalen Brunson & Co. will look to close out the Sixers at home during Tuesday’s Game 5. The Knicks are widely expected to make a run to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1999-2000.
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