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Joel Embiid’s return to the 7-seeded Philadelphia Sixers helped fuel a dramatic first-round sweep at No. 2 Boston Celtics in the NBA Playoffs.
Now, the former NBA MVP is asking Sixers fans to make sure they don’t sell tickets to fans of their next opponent: the New York Knicks.
The Knicks, led by All-Star guard Jalen Brunson, swept the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 of their series, racking up a record 51-point win en route to advancing to the next round. They were watching Game 7 closely between the Sixers and the Celtics, and Philadelphia brought a good result, and Embiid scored a career-high 34 points in the victory.
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Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers watches during the fourth quarter of Game Seven against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs at TD Garden in Boston, Mass., on May 2, 2026. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
It was a rally for the Sixers, coming back from a 3-1 deficit. But now they’re facing a familiar playoff foe, and Embiid urged fans to make sure they’re in the seats and not those for the trip down the New Jersey Turnpike.
“I just have a message for our fans,” Embiid said after the Sixers won Game 7, per ESPN. “The last time we played the Knicks, it felt like it [Philadelphia] it was Madison Square Garden East. We will need support.
76ERS’ JOEL EMBIID FACES ‘FLOPPING’ SUSPECTS AFTER PHILLY’S GAME 7 WIN OVER CELTICS
“Don’t sell tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys.”
Tickets became a topic of controversy between the teams in 2024, when Sixers ownership tried to prevent Knicks fans from buying tickets to their home stadium for Game 6, when Philadelphia needed to win to advance. The Knicks ended up winning this series on the road.
At the time, Embiid shared a similar message, admitting that it “upset” me that Sixers fans were being outdone by the Knicks.
Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers watches during the first half of Game Seven against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs at TD Garden in Boston, Mass., on May 2, 2026. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
“Philly is considered a sports town,” he added.
It’s no secret that Knicks fans travel, especially when the road city is as close as it is to Philadelphia. They are expected to try to fill the Xfinity Mobile Arena even now.
“There will be people who will sell tickets because they need money. Don’t do that, we need you guys,” emphasized Embiid. “We need support, and we need them to speak up. If you need money, I got it.”
Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the first quarter of Game Six against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on April 30, 2026. (Elsa/Getty Images)
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Embiid and the Sixers will see if the fans were listening in Game 3 of the next series, as the Knicks, the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, will host them at Madison Square Garden for Games 1 and 2, starting Monday. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Embiid had 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the final four games of the series after missing the first three due to an appendectomy.
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