Charles Barkley “Disappointed” as Knicks Fans Take Over 76ers Arena

Game 3 between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks took place at the Wells Fargo Center, but it looked like the Philly crowd did not turn up for the game. The Knicks fans brought their electric playoff vibe to Madison Square Garden to help the Knicks take a 2-0 lead in this first-round match-up. Joel Embiid and Co. were excited to head back home, but it looks like the Knicks fans have taken the trouble of traveling all the way to Philadelphia. Charles Barkley, a former Sixers forward, had some harsh words for the Knicks fan to show his disgust. 

“It sounds like a home game“, said Ernie Johnson, as the crowd cheered for all the baskets made by Jalen Brunson and his teammates. Barkley shared on Inside the NBA, “I’m disgusted…at all those Knicks fans there“. 

Smith tried to side with the fans, “It’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive“. But Barkley was adamant on his point, “I don’t give a damn. You can’t have them people in the building making all that noise. It really sounded like a home game for the Knicks. I’m so disappointed.” It wasn’t just the fans, but a former Knicks player was in the arena as well. 

Knicks fame Carmelo Anthony, made a live attendance in game 3 to support Brunson and Co. Notably, he was there in game 2 as well at the Madison Square Garden, when the Knicks completed a surreal last-minute comeback. Barkley’s anger is fair. The very concept of home team advantage is eliminated if the opponents flood the stadium. However, there is a stinging reality behind this that many are not aware of. 

Why are the Knicks fans flooding the Wells Fargo Center? 

For starters, like Smith said, it’s just a short drive from New York to Philadelphia. However, that is not the main reason. The tickets at MSG are much more expensive than it is at the Wells Fargo Center. A fan on Twitter spoke about it, “You can go to game in Philly for less than 100 bucks including gas money. You can’t get a nosebleed for that in the garden“

Madison Square Garden is one of the most famous arenas in the world. The tickets are expensive in general, and when it is the playoffs, it’s hard to get an affordable ticket at MSG. As per ticket resale company Vividseats, a ticket ranges from $193 to $1200 approximately at Wells Fargo Center. However, at the Madison Square Garden, it’s $293-$2000 approx., twice the rate at Philly. This could be the reason why we saw a lot of orange shirts at the Wells Fargo Center.