beyond the back page The bad blood that fuels what promises to be a ferocious Knicks-Sixers duel By Ryan Dunleavy Published May 4, 2026, 7:40 a.m. ET Joel Embiid gets tangled up with the Knicks' Mitchell Robinson on Jan. 24, 2026. Getty Images For fans of the Yankees and Jets, Boston is public enemy No. 1.
For fans of the Mets and Giants, Philadelphia is home to the bully around the block.
For fans of the Knicks, both Amtrak cities spark emotions.
No matter who won the 76ers-Celtics series, the Knicks were going to face a rival — and relive a recent playoff series — during the Eastern Conference semifinals.
