The New York Knicks are leaning into their fanbase at the same time the Philadelphia 76ers are trying to keep that same fanbase from turning Games 3 and 4 into another road version of Madison Square Garden.
After Joel Embiid urged Sixers fans not to sell their playoff tickets to Knicks supporters, and after Philadelphia restricted certain ticket sales to local buyers, the Knicks posted a fan-focused hype video that doubled as a reminder of how much New York’s crowd has already become part of this series.
“I mean, there’s no explanation needed,” Karl-Anthony Towns said in Knicks-produced video. “This is playoff basketball and we get to go home to the best fans in basketball.”
Jalen Brunson added: “The energy, it’s unmatched.”
That message comes with the Knicks and Sixers set to open their second-round series at Madison Square Garden on Monday, May 4, before the matchup shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday, May 8, and Game 4 on Sunday, May 10.
Knicks-Sixers Fan Battle Has Already Become Part of the Series
The Sixers’ concern is not theoretical.
ESPN reported that Embiid specifically referenced the 2024 playoff series between the Knicks and Sixers, saying Philadelphia felt like “Madison Square Garden East” because of the number of Knicks fans in the building. Embiid’s message to Sixers fans was blunt: “Don’t sell your tickets.”
The Sixers also posted a ticketing notice stating that sales for the event would be restricted to residents of the Greater Philadelphia area, with residency based on credit card billing address. CBS Sports reported that the restriction was intended to limit a Knicks fan takeover at Philadelphia’s home games in the series.
That gives the Knicks’ video more weight than a standard playoff crowd montage. It is not just about thanking fans. It is about acknowledging a fanbase that has become an actual strategic concern for the opponent.
“The fans that made it here to Atlanta, they make it special,” KAT said in the video. “They make this happen.”
The Knicks are not hiding from that identity. They are amplifying it.
Joel Embiid Asked Sixers Fans Not to Sell to Knicks Supporters
Embiid’s comments came after the Sixers advanced past the Boston Celtics, setting up another postseason matchup with New York. Embiid urged Philadelphia fans not to sell tickets to Knicks fans and even offered financial help to fans considering selling for money.
That part matters because it shows the issue is not just crowd pride. It is economics.
Knicks fans have a short trip to Philadelphia, and playoff tickets in another city can become attractive if demand in New York is high enough. Josh Hart acknowledged that dynamic, telling reporters that New Yorkers are “persistent” and that some people will sell if the price is right, according to the New York Post.
For Philadelphia, that creates a strange home-court challenge. The Sixers earned the right to host playoff games, but a loud Knicks contingent can change the feel of those games. For New York, the opposite is true: every road orange-and-blue pocket becomes a reminder that the Knicks’ crowd travels.
That is why the Knicks’ video fits the moment.
“Every year it’s electric,” Brunson said. “Not just in this building, but around the city. It’s truly special.”
Knicks Fans Are Becoming a Real Playoff Variable
There is a basketball reason this storyline has legs.
Home-court advantage is not just about geography. It is about energy during runs, pressure during free throws, noise during late-game possessions and momentum after big plays. In a Knicks-Sixers series loaded with star power, physicality and recent playoff history, the crowd is one of the few variables both teams are openly discussing before the games even move to Philadelphia.
The Knicks’ message also arrives as a contrast to the Sixers’ posture. Philadelphia is trying to protect its building. New York is celebrating the idea that its fans can be felt anywhere.
And with Games 3 and 4 in Philadelphia looming, the next test will not just be whether the Knicks can win on the road.
It will be whether their fans can still be heard there.
Knicks Send Fans Strong Message After Sixers Ticketing News