May 8, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Film director, producer, star cheers on after a New York Knicks score against the Philadelphia 76ers during the third quarter of game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Knicks forward Josh Hart knows a bit about the rigors of calling Philadelphia home. He helped Villanova win its second-ever national championship in 2016, and his No. 3 hangs in the rafters of Xfinity Mobile Arena, which just so happens to be the home of the 76ers.
The same 76ers that Hart and his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges obliterated in the Eastern Conference semifinals — a 144-114 blowout, securing a series sweep and the Knicks’ second straight trip to the conference finals.
On a night in which they tied an NBA postseason record with 25 made three-pointers, Knicks fans made the trip to Philadelphia to take over the Sixers’ home to add further insult to their rivals’ injury.
“I used to think Philly was a sports town,” Hart began. “I don’t know if it is anymore.”
Mother’s Day weekend could not have been a worse one for the Philadelphia sports scene as a whole. The Philadelphia Flyers were swept in their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series by the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. Less than 24 hours later, Knicks fans were chanting “Duece” as Miles McBride — filling in for the injured OG Anunoby — knocked down seven three-pointers on his way to 25 points.
“I knew the Knicks had crazy fans, passionate fans,” McBride said. “But for them to travel the way they’ve traveled throughout my career and be as loud and always have our backs, it’s been amazing… I’m grateful for our fans traveling. It’s special to play for New York and represent the city. To have a crowd like that was amazing.”
“It’s a really cool feeling.” Brunson, who had 22 points of his own in Game 4, said. “It’s something that I will always think is one of the coolest things in the world, when you hear Knicks fans in opposing arenas.”
The New York takeover was apparent even before tip-off on Sunday. As the in-arena hosts tried to get a “Let’s Go Sixers” chant going pregame, they were promptly booed off the floor by the thousands of Knicks fans who showed up.
“It absolutely sucks, if I’m being honest. It just sucks,” 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey said. “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 it’s, we have to go out there and win these games. Just being completely honest, we were better when we were playing them in [Madison Square Garden] this entire season. I know we lost Game 2 and 1, but Game 2 was better, the regular season was better. Here, it felt louder in here for them than it did for the Garden. We have to put a stop to it. Winning these games is going to make our fans louder than theirs. I don’t know how to keep them out. I don’t know the logistics of it, but it does suck.”
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