What are Sixers saying about Knicks ahead of first-round playoff matchup?

It's official. The New York Knicks will play their division rival in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. In the past two years, the Knicks have played the team with a player they were "linked" to in trade rumors the previous offseason. New York was actively engaged in trade talks for Donovan Mitchell in 2022 and was reportedly interested in Joel Embiid amid the James Harden saga in 2023.

It's the first time since 1989 that the Knicks and Sixers will meet in the postseason. It'll be nerve-wracking for fans of both teams, but it should be one of the most entertaining first-round matchups.

What are Sixers saying about Knicks ahead of 2024 first-round playoff series?

After Philadelphia knocked off Miami in the Play-In Tournament, the Sixers discussed the challenge of playing the Knicks. The first thing Nick Nurse said about New York is that the team is "for real."

Tyrese Maxey addressed the Knicks' 3-1 regular season advantage over the Sixers. He called Brunson the "head of the snake" and said New York plays "hard and tough."

Tobias Harris said guarding Brunson will be challenging, but he and his teammates will be able to "figure it out."

Kelly Oubre. Jr. and Nicolas Batum also spoke highly of Brunson. Batum said the point guard is having an "MVP season."

Philadelphia showed respect to New York but made it clear that the Sixers will be ready to fight when the ball is tipped on Saturday.

Paul Reed is the outlier, as he's the one who said something that could come back to haunt Philadelphia.

If the Sixers had lost Wednesday's game, they would've had to beat the Bulls to get the No. 8 seed, meaning Philadelphia would've played Boston in the first round. It's hard to argue against the Knicks being an "easier" matchup than the No. 1 Celtics, but Reed should've thought twice before he said that out loud.

The Knicks didn't need more bulletin board material, but they got it!