The Philadelphia 76ers have a mountain to overcome to brute-force their way into the second round. The New York Knicks outclassed the Sixers in Game 4, completely overturning whatever momentum they built in Game 3.
However, the team’s poor performance isn’t the only point of contention for the big man. During the game, it was evident that Knicks fans overwhelmed Wells Fargo Center and let the Sixers know that they were still playing away in their very own stadium.
While such a thing isn’t uncommon in the NBA, the playoffs is a tournament where teams will maximize every single advantage available to them. The fact that the team’s home games are also difficult conditions to play in understandably made Embiid mad.
Joel Embiid is disappointed with Philadelphia 76ers fans after Knicks fans took over Game 4
It was clear to Embiid and his teammates that there were an unusually high number of New York Knicks fans in attendance. He quickly relayed his disappointment to the fans for failing to support the team in their home games.
Per The Spun’s Andrew Holleran:
“Disappointing. I love our fans,” Embiid told reporters.
“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 and I’ve never seen it, and I’ve been here for 10 years. Yeah, it kind of (ticks) me off, especially because Philly is considered a sports town. They’ve always shown up and I don’t think that should happen. Yeah. It’s not okay.”
It was evident in Philly’s play that the attendance rattled him and his teammates. Embiid had a decent game, finishing with 27 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals, and two blocks. Tyrese Maxey also had a strong performance with his 26/6/6 stat line.
However, they couldn’t stop Jalen Brunson, who exploded for 47 points, four boards, and 10 dimes. OG Anunoby and Miles McBride added to the scoring with 16 and 13 points, respectively.
With the series headed back to the Garden, the Philadelphia 76ers are at risk of making another early playoff exit. They need to get their act together and endure another 48 minutes of jeering from the New York crowd if they want to force a Game 6.
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