Before the Philadelphia 76ers hit the road for New York City, the team held a practice session in Camden to prepare for their Game 1 matchup against the New York Knicks.
After the session, veteran standout Kelly Oubre addressed reporters and expressed how excited she was to be part of her first playoff run since 2018.
“I’m ready,” Oubre told reporters.
The Sixers needed to get through the NBA Play-In Tournament to get their ticket to the playoffs this year. While the extra slack wasn’t ideal, it had its benefits. Now, the Sixers have shaken off the postseason jitters and are looking forward to a tough series against a burgeoning Knicks team, which has clinched the second seed.
“I think we all got over our last game jitters in the first half, and I’m ready and excited,” Oubre added. “This is the highest level of basketball that we all wake up to every day to work at. I’m just enjoying the moment, keeping my feet where they are and keeping my toes down.
Having started their first two games, the Sixers face a passionate crowd in one of the most important arenas in the world, Madison Square Garden. While Oubre credited Knicks fans for being “pretty crazy” and having a “really good culture,” his subsequent comments about the MSG crowd ruffled some feathers, leading one of the most famous Knicks fans to call out Oubre on social media.