Tyrese Maxey said it felt louder than Madison Square Garden after Knicks fans surged into Philadelphia, after New York swept the 76ers.
Knicks fans seemed to turn Philadelphia’s arena into a home game, and Tyrese Maxey made it clear he was frustrated about what it meant for the 76ers’ season finale.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ playoff run ended in brutal fashion on Sunday afternoon. Despite playing at home, they were hammered 144-114 by the New York Knicks, with New York completing a 4-0 sweep to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
By the time the third quarter ended, the outcome looked all but decided, and that feeling had lingered almost from the start. In fact, even after the first quarter concluded, it did not appear as if the 76ers had a realistic chance to win Game 4.
A major part of the atmosphere came from the Knicks’ traveling support.. Philadelphia’s home crowd was far from untouched. with many Knicks fans making the short trip to cheer on an opponent that was headed toward the conference semis.. The result was an arena that, according to Maxey, felt dominated by New York supporters.
As the Knicks moved toward sending the 76ers home, “Knicks in four” chants broke out. That refrain stood out to Maxey because the Knicks were the road team, yet the momentum of the noise never felt like a typical away-game dynamic.
After the game. Maxey didn’t sugarcoat his reaction during his postgame press appearance. saying it was “hard” and “definitely difficult.” He added that the noise level felt louder in Philadelphia than it did in the Garden. and insisted the team needed to “put a stop to it” rather than accept it as something they had to endure.
Maxey also pointed to what he viewed as the only practical solution: performance.. He argued that winning is what ultimately makes a home fan base louder than the opposition. and said. while it was hard to explain how to keep certain fans out—especially given “the logistics of it”—the 76ers couldn’t let the chants become part of the story.
He acknowledged the emotional sting directly. telling reporters that the situation “definitely does suck” and admitting he could not pretend otherwise.. The frustration was not only about the sound in the building. but about what that sound accompanied on the court: a season ending with a one-sided loss and no chance to swing momentum.
Geography, though, helps explain why Knicks supporters could flood the arena in such numbers.. With Philadelphia close enough for fans to travel easily. it was described as virtually impossible to fully keep Knicks fans out.. Still. Maxey’s view was straightforward—if the 76ers had played better. they would likely have controlled the game enough to limit the impact of the crowd.
With New York taking the series 4-0 and pushing to the Eastern Conference Finals. the sweep leaves the 76ers facing a hard reset after a Game 4 that never resembled a comeback.. For Maxey. the takeaway wasn’t just that the Knicks were better—it was that the 76ers must find a way to set the tone early. because when the opponent feels comfortable and the crowd leans heavily toward the visitors. it becomes even harder to fight back.
76ers Knicks Game 4 Tyrese Maxey Eastern Conference Finals Knicks sweep Philadelphia playoffs Madison Square Garden