The shots fired after the game were almost as brutal as the 30-point beatdown.
After the New York Knicks completed their sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers, Josh Hart twisted the knife with a comment that's going to echo through Philly all summer long.
"I used to think Philly was a sports town, I don't know if it is anymore," Hart said when asked about the sea of Knicks fans at the arena.
Ouch. That one's gonna leave a mark.
And here's the thing - he's not wrong. The Xfinity Mobile Arena was packed with orange and blue. When the PA announcer tried to get the crowd to cheer "Let's Go Sixers" in unison during the fourth quarter, they were met with boos. Not from Knicks fans - from the home crowd.
That's surrender. That's waving the white flag. That's your own fans telling you they've seen enough.
Hart said he wasn't surprised by the Knicks turnout. New York travels well, and Philly's close enough that thousands of fans made the trip. But when your arena becomes a road game for your team in a playoff elimination game, that's a problem.
Philadelphia is supposed to be one of the toughest sports cities in America. They threw snowballs at Santa Claus. They booed Mike Schmidt. They have a reputation for being the most passionate, most demanding fanbase in the country.
But tonight? They got drowned out by the visitors and gave up on their team before the game was even over.
Look, losing happens. Getting swept happens. But when your own building turns against you and your opponent's guard is openly questioning your sports town credentials, that's rock bottom.
The Sixers have a lot to figure out this offseason. But first, they need to figure out how to win back their own fans.
That's what sports is all about, folks - and sometimes, it's about getting called out when you come up short.
