The Philadelphia 76ers‘ postseason run came to a disappointing end yet again. Following a 144-114 blowout loss in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Knicks, the 76ers found themselves heading into the offseason on the back of a crushing sweep.
Needless to say, this comes as a shock to the team as well as the 76ers’ fan base. However, when noting the large influx of New York Knicks fans in the arena for Game 4, Knicks forward Josh Hart took a shot at Philadelphia for its lack of support during a critical home game.
While speaking with the media about the overwhelming support from Knicks fans, Hart commented:
“Everybody was begging for Philly to not sell their tickets and all that stuff. So… I used to think Philly was a sports town. I don’t know if it is anymore.”
The Knicks’ fan base, though raucous, has proven itself to be one of the more passionate groups in the NBA. Having shown a willingness to travel with the team on the road, the Knicks are never short on fan support.
In the semifinals series against the 76ers, fans were more than willing to make the short trip to Philadelphia. Unfortunately, 76ers fans did not reciprocate this intensity.
Despite Joel Embiid‘s best efforts to offer free tickets to community groups to fill the arena and block out the rowdy Knicks fans, it simply wasn’t enough. With New Yorkers dominating both on the court and in the stands, Philadelphia had little chance of winning.
Tyrese Maxey’s Solution For The 76ers’ Fan Problem
The Philadelphia 76ers enjoyed a home-court advantage in Games 3 and 4. With the home crowd backing them, theoretically, the 76ers should have had a greater chance of winning. Instead, the 76ers were blown out in both games, and it may not be due to the lack of fan support at all.
During his postgame media availability, 76ers superstar Tyrese Maxey spoke about the silence from the 76ers’ fans in the stadium and how the team was responsible for giving them a reason to cheer. He stated:
“It absolutely sucks, if I’m being honest. It just sucks. That’s really all I can say about it, man. It’s hard. It’s definitely difficult. It’s only one way to put a stop to it, and we have to go out there and win these games.”
Maxey acknowledged that Philadelphia had been much better during Game 2 at MSG and even during the regular season. But somehow, the Knicks fans were louder in Philadelphia than they were at home.
“We’ve got to put a stop to it as a team,” he continued. “Winning these games, that’s gonna make our fans louder than theirs or whatever. I don’t know how to keep them out. I don’t know the logistics of it, but it does suck. I can’t even lie. It definitely does suck.”
There is some truth in Tyrese Maxey’s understanding of the situation. While fans must show up and offer their support to the home team as a display of loyalty to the franchise, it is unreasonable to expect blind faith from them. If the product on the floor is subpar, there is no reason for fans to waste their hard-earned money on it.
Although the 76ers displayed some signs of life early in the series, the last two games were quite disappointing. Thus, as Maxey stated, the onus falls upon the franchise to improve and give the fans something to cheer for.
As Philadelphia’s campaign comes to an end, the team and the front office will return to the drawing board. With significant changes on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how the franchise bounces back from another disappointing postseason exit.
