Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. had a subtle call-out against a select group of New York Knicks fans.
With Oubre’s 76ers winning their 7-8 play-in tournament matchup against the Miami Heat, Philadelphia won the 7th seed and a date with the Knicks in the first round.
Oubre on Friday spoke to reporters ahead of Game 1 of the Knicks-76ers series. Asked about playing in front of playoff-hungry Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden, Oubre was quite complimentary of the basketball culture in the area.
“The fans are pretty crazy. I feel like they have a pretty good culture of being wild and living basketball to the root and the core of it. It’s definitely called the Mecca of basketball for a reason. The lights are super bright.”
But Oubre did throw some shade toward famous Knicks fans who comprise celebrity row.
“They’re going to give celebrities those $100,000 free tickets just to be there and not care about the game. But y’know, that’s what they do.”
Kelly Oubre is excited for the opportunity to play at Madison Square Garden, praising the fans’ appreciation of basketball culture.
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“They’re going to give celebrities those $100,000 free tickets just to be there and not care about the game” pic.twitter.com/160CdoD86u
— PHLY Sixers (@PHLY_Sixers) April 19, 2024
Oubre may have just been teasing. But some celebrity Knicks fans arguably some of the most passionate out there. Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan, and Ben Stiller are just a few names whose affiliation with the team is well-documented.
Some celebs may just show up to the games just to soak up the atmosphere and look pretty. But there are also just as many of them ready to scream their lungs out like the (relative) everyman seated beside them.
Philadelphia 76ers- New York Knicks Series Is Shaping Up To Be East’s Best
There’s arguably no first round series more intriguing than Knicks-Sixers. With Joel Embiid back in the fold, the 76ers could potentially have the best player in the series.
But Jalen Brunson could very well cement his superstardom within MSG with a couple of signature games in the postseason. If Brunson balls out during a playoff home game like he has been doing throughout most of the regular season, even the supposed “$100,000” Knicks fans may be standing up from their expensive seats.
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