Why are there so many Knicks fans in Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia?
The Philadelphia 76ers have a must win matchup with the New York Knicks tonight, and Sixers owners are taking steps to keep Knick fans out of the stadium.
The Philadelphia 76ers are back home looking to stay alive in their first round series against the New York Knicks tonight from Wells Fargo Center. It took a miracle to pull out the win in Madison Square Garden and tonight they return home looking to take care of business in front of their home fans, or at least that’s what the Sixers owners will be hoping after a disappointing show out in Game 4 from Philly.
Philly famous for fans
It was a sight that we have never seen before. A sight that we may never see again. That’s what the Sixers will be hoping for tonight after a sea of blue and orange infiltrated Wells Fargo Center in the last match up between these two teams in Game 4. In a city that is known for their passion and their fervor for their sports teams, it was wild to see their fortress full of Knicks fans for New York’s 125-114 win over the home team last week.
Phllly is famous for their fans. For the good and the bad. It’s a fan base that’s known to defend their home court, field or ice with an intensity that borders the extreme. They go after the stars of their opponents. They go after their own players when they don’t perform up to standards. They have barraged Santa Clause with snowballs. That’s what made the turn out so surprising in Game 4.
Knicks fans aren’t given tickets to playoff games. They have to buy them independently. Which means that Philly fans who had tickets to that game willingly sold their tickets to Knicks fans, which led to the sensational scenes in the last game in the City of Brotherly Love showing Knicks fans blanketed throughout the stadium in Philadelphia.
Embiid not pleased with turnout
After the game, the corridors of Wells Fargo fans were filled with Knicks fans screaming “F**K Embiid.” The reigning MVP took notice and did take a swipe at his fans after the surprising turn out in Game 4. He said it was “disappointing” later claiming, “I love our fans. Think it’s unfortunate, and I’m not calling them out, but it is disappointing. Obviously, you got a lot of Knicks fans, and they’re down the road.”
Madison Square Garden and Wells Fargo Center are 100 miles away from one and other, and aside from being neighbors, the two teams are bitter rivals dating back to the early days of the NBA. It’s unimaginable to picture Giants fans in Lincoln Financial Field, or Rangers fans taking over Flyers fans in the Stanley Cup playoffs. That’s why steps have been taken to make sure the same situation doesn’t occur in a pivotal matchup on Thursday night.
After Charles Barkley gave Knicks fans a warning about “bringing that ruckus” to Philly in Game 6, the Sixers owners have bought 2,000 tickets that were up for grabs to hand out to first-responders, health care workers and Philadelphia based organizations to ensure the Wells Fargo Center is maxed out with Sixers fans in their do-or-die game.
The Sixers reached this game by miracle. They needed seven points in the final 30 seconds from Tyrese Maxey who had 46 points in the overtime win in Madison Square Garden. The Philly fans who show up tonight will be hoping for a big night from Maxey and Joel Embiid who has been fighting through a meniscus injury that doesn’t appear to be full healed.