Rusty Weiss
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is making a direct appeal to the team’s fans ahead of a high-stakes second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks.
Following the Sixers’ dramatic comeback from a 3-1 deficit to eliminate the Boston Celtics, Embiid urged Philadelphia supporters not to sell their tickets — especially to Knicks fans.
Dude doesn’t want to play a potential seven road games this time around. And who can blame him?
Embiid said he didn’t want the Wells Fargo Center to once again feel like “Madison Square Garden East.”
Embiid’s Blunt Message: ‘If You Need Money, I Got You’
“I just have a message for our fans,” Embiid said. “Last time we played the Knicks, it felt like [Philadelphia] was Madison Square Garden East. We’re going to need the support.”
“Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys.”
Embiid, a seven-time All-Star and former NBA MVP, then sweetened the deal.
“Knicks fans travel — they buy tickets,” he continued. “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.”
Joel Embiid:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 3, 2026
"I just have a message for our fans. Last time we played the Knicks, it felt like this was Madison Square Garden east. We're going to need the support. Don't sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. If you need money, I got you" 😂 pic.twitter.com/jX2wtO0QvR
Embiid’s comments come after he returned from missing the first three games of the Celtics series due to an appendectomy and powered the No. 7 seed Sixers to a historic upset. He averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists over the final four games, including a 34-point, 12-rebound closeout performance in Game 7.
The series victory snapped a long streak of playoff disappointments for Philadelphia against Boston and sets up a rematch with the Knicks, who swept the regular-season series this year but face a motivated Sixers squad hungry for revenge.
The 76ers organization is also taking steps to protect home-court atmosphere, restricting ticket sales on their website to Greater Philadelphia residents based on billing addresses. However, as Knicks forward Josh Hart noted, New York’s supporters are persistent.
“They don’t care, bro. They’re going to do it, man,” Hart taunted. “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.”
Last year, Knicks fans flooded the Wells Fargo Center in such numbers during the first-round series that it visibly frustrated Embiid and the organization. Sixers ownership, along with Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, responded by purchasing over 2,000 tickets for Game 6 to distribute to local fans, first responders, and healthcare workers in an attempt to keep Knicks supporters out.
Despite the effort, New York fans still made their presence felt as the Knicks advanced on the road.
