Sixers donating 500 tickets to local fans for each remaining home game in series vs. Knicks

After Joel Embiid's plea to Sixers fans to keep Xfinity Mobile Arena loud and local for the upcoming home games vs. the New York Knicks, the Sixers are making sure hundreds of tickets go to Philadelphia-area residents.

The team announced Friday that 500 tickets would go to members of local community groups for the home games on Friday, Sunday, and (if necessary) Thursday.

Friday night's game will be attended by 250 frontline medical workers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, and 250 teachers from Learn Fresh, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, school districts.

Then on Mother's Day Sunday, 500 moms and kids picked by the Uplift Center for Grieving Children, the Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, La Liga del Barrio and Apologues will get to attend the game.

The ticket release follows center Embiid telling fans "don't sell your tickets" after knocking out the Boston Celtics in a seven-game first-round series.

When the Knicks played at Philadelphia in a first-round series in 2024, Embiid at one point said the home arena felt like "Madison Square Garden East."    

This time in 2026, the team restricted ticket sales to residents of the Greater Philadelphia area. Some were topping $1,000 on the secondary market to sit in the lower bowl.

The 500 fans attending free of charge are "fired up about Philadelphia and committed to making our hometown a better place," the Sixers said in a statement.

"We love this city and the intensity and passion of our fans. We know they'll bring it tonight and Sunday at our big playoff games at Xfinity Mobile Arena. This is also a tremendous opportunity to welcome fans who may not have otherwise had the chance to attend, so they can experience the Philly playoff energy live," Sixers Managing Partner Josh Harris said.

Embiid missed Game 2 of the series and is listed as questionable for Game 3.