Josh Hart has bad news for Joel Embiid: Everyone has a price.
He doesn’t think the 76ers center’s plea to Philadelphia fans not to sell tickets to New Yorkers is going to work — it could be a repeat of the 2024 playoff series, when Knicks fans turned Xfinity Mobile Arena (then Wells Fargo Center) into Madison Square Garden Southwest.
There were “MVP” chants for Jalen Brunson that irked Embiid.
The 76ers big man said at the time, “It kind of pisses me off, especially because Philly is considered a sports town.”
“I expect it to be similar, because Knicks fans travel. They’re probably the best fans in the NBA in terms of traveling and going to games. It might be cheaper to do that than go to the Garden,” Hart said Sunday after practice, as the Knicks prepared for Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the 76ers. “They love New York Knick basketball, they’re passionate about it, and we love it. We need them to come out and support.”
After the 76ers overcame a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate the Celtics on Saturday night, Embiid asked fans not to sell their tickets and avoid a rerun of 2024.
On the secondary market, prices for tickets are significantly more expensive at the Garden than at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“Last time we played the Knicks, it felt like [Philadelphia] was Madison Square Garden East. We’re going to need the support,” Embiid said. “Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys.”
“Knicks fans travel — they buy tickets,” he later added. “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 76ers are mimicking the Pistons ploy of a year ago — limiting tickets to Detroit-area fans — by limiting tickets to residents of the Philadelphia area.
A message on the team’s website reads: “Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside [of the] Greater Philadelphia area will be canceled without notice and refunds given.”
That won’t stop Knicks fans from purchasing tickets on the secondary market, however.
While it worked for Detroit a year ago, that was a much longer trip than the 90-minute drive to Philadelphia.
“Good thing about New Yorkers, man, they’re persistent. They don’t care, bro,” Hart said. “They’re going to do it, man. 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, and New Yorkers are passionate about the Knicks and they’re going to come out and show love.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
