Sixers fans urged to not sell tickets to Knicks fans for Game 6 at Wells Fargo Center
Sixers giving away 2K tickets to keep Knicks fans out of game in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Thursday is Game 6 of the NBA playoffs and the Philadelphia 76ers will be home once again as they face the New York Knicks.
All eyes will be on the players, as well as the amount of fans who show up to support the team.
Sports legends, like Charles Barkley and Dawn Staley, have taken to social media urging Sixers Fans not to sell tickets to Knicks fans and to pack the Wells Fargo Center for Thursday night's game.
Head Coach Nick Nurse says the team will be ready to take care of business and they hope the fans will do the same.
"I think we all can do better and I think we need to coach better," Nurse said. "Players are going to try to play better. Everybody going to do better. We need everybody's support for sure. I think the team is playing its guts out."
Sixers fans say they didn't think they'd see the day when Knicks fans would take over the Wells Fargo Center, like what happened during Games 3 and 4.
The Sixers organization doesn't want to see that again either.
To make sure it doesn't happen again, the team handed out free tickets to fans Wednesday and posted it to social media.
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For Game 6 at home, Sixers owners and Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin bought more than 2,000 tickets for first responders and local groups.
Charles Barkley sent Action News a video urging fans to rise up.
"Game 3 and Game 4 were embarrassing. Y'all got to stand up and stand out," Barkley said in the video.
GMA even surprised two Sixers fans, Kareem Rutledge and Zachary Jones, with free tickets to Game 6 while live on TV Thursday morning.
"Really grateful and thankful to be here," said Jones, who is from Swedesboro, New Jersey.
Rutledge is recovering from a serious fall that left him unable to eat, walk or talk. He said he is ready to celebrate his progress at the game.
"I didn't wake up today thinking I'd go to a Sixers game, a playoff game at that. Like, come on, who gets to do that?" said Rutledge, who is also from Swedesboro. It kind of shows a testament to all that I've been through and that I can still do it after all that happened."
The next surprise for them will be finding out where they'll be sitting for the game.
The 76ers want to keep the momentum going after the big overtime Game 5 victory in New York.
RELATED: 76ers defeat Knicks 112-106 in Game 5 OT thriller to avoid elimination
"We need it. It's been Knicks fans taking over the Wells Fargo Center, so hopefully Sixers fans show up and show out tonight," Jones said.
Sixers will need to win Thursday night to keep playoff hopes alive. Game 6 tips off at 9 p.m.
