Joel Embiid peeved by influx of Knicks fans in Philly, calls infiltration 'not OK'

Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers star center, on Sunday was unhappy about more than his team’s loss 97-92 loss to the New York Knicks.

There also was the matter of the large number of Knicks fans at the Wells Fargo Center, the 76ers’ home arena, for Game 4 of the first-round NBA playoff series.

"Disappointing," Embiid told reporters of the Knicks' fan support. "I love our fans. 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."

Philadelphia and New York City are separated by about 95 miles. But Embiid indicated the presence of raucous Knicks fans inside the 76ers arena Sunday was a first for him.

"I've never seen it, and I've been here for 10 years," he said. "Yeah, it kind of pisses 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 OK."

The 76ers now trail 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, and Embiid should expect even more noise from Knicks fans in Game 5 on Tuesday. It will be played at Madison Square Garden, home of the Knicks.

Embiid had 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in Game 4, despite the unwelcome noise.