The Philadelphia 76ers are pulling out all the stops to keep their home court advantage—literally. After falling behind 3-1 in their first-round series against the Boston Celtics, the Sixers mounted a dramatic comeback to advance on Saturday night. Now, they're set for a heated second-round showdown with the New York Knicks, a rematch of the 2024 playoffs when New York bounced Philly in the opening round.
But there's a problem: Knicks fans are notorious for traveling well, and with New York just a short drive or train ride away, they've been known to turn opposing arenas into a sea of blue and orange. The Sixers' home court, Xfinity Mobile Arena, was practically "Madison Square Garden East" during that 2024 series, and star center Joel Embiid isn't having it again.
"I just have a message for our fans," Embiid said after the Game 5 win. "The last time we played the Knicks, it felt like this was Madison Square Garden East. We’re going to need your support. Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you."
Embiid even went a step further, acknowledging that some fans might be tempted to cash in on high-demand playoff tickets. "There’s going to be some people that need the money," he added. "But don’t do it. … If you need money, I got you."
The 76ers organization is backing up Embiid's plea with action. According to a post on the team's official website, ticket sales for the upcoming home games will be restricted to residents of the "Greater Philadelphia area." The team plans to enforce this by checking the credit card billing address of each purchaser. "Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of Greater Philadelphia area," the statement reads. "Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside Greater Philadelphia area will be canceled without notice and refunds given."
Of course, savvy Knicks fans are already plotting workarounds—calling friends and family in Philly to snag tickets on their behalf. But the Sixers are hoping this measure, combined with Embiid's passionate call to action, will keep the home crowd loud and proud.
As the higher seed, New York will have home-court advantage, meaning Philadelphia will host a maximum of three games if the series goes six. Game 3 is set for Friday, May 8, followed by Game 4 on Sunday, May 10, and a potential Game 6 on Thursday, May 14. Tip-off times are still to be announced, but one thing is clear: the Sixers are doing everything they can to make sure the only orange in the building is on the court.