Charles Barkley Calls Knicks Sweep of 76ers ‘Embarrassing'

The Philadelphia 76ers faced a harsh outcome on Sunday, as their opponents, the New York Knicks, were just one win away from sweeping Philly out of the second round.

Many analysts and fans believed that the 76ers might respond with a Game 3 win on their home court and initially looked poised to control the game after surging to a first-quarter lead.

However, New York played much more aggressively over the next three quarters and won 108-94, taking a 3-0 series lead, prompting plenty of people to question whether Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and the 76ers had any chance of staving off elimination.

Just like in Game 3, the Knicks were again without their starter, OG Anunoby, for Game 4, even though he had contributed significantly throughout New York’s other playoff victories.

And on Sunday afternoon, ESPN’s “Inside the NBA” analyst, Charles Barkley, inaccurately predicted a win, indicating it would be “embarrassing” for his former team to get swept, which they were.

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“It’s embarrassing to get swept, especially at home. I think Philly’s gonna win today,” Barkley said during ABC and ESPN’s pre-game coverage.

He reiterated that it’s “embarrassing” and “Philly’s gonna win today,” adding that he was “confident” in his pick for Game 4 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Unfortunately, Barkley’s prediction was wrong: the Sixers were flat from the start, and the Knicks were again the more ferocious team. They jumped to a 43-24 lead in the first quarter, and were up 81-57 at halftime.

The Knicks’ backcourt of Miles McBride and Jalen Brunson combined for 47 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns had a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double in the 144-114 win.

It marked Embiid’s second consecutive game back in the series, after he’d missed a previous game due to injury concerns. He finished with 24 points on a perfect 8-for-8 shooting performance and was his team’s leading scorer in the loss.

Ahead of the 76ers’ tough loss, Shaquille O’Neal also called himself an “expert” when it comes to the sweep topic, as he had been “swept the most” from the playoffs of anyone in the studio. He said he thought Philly needed to go out and play hard if they wanted a chance.

However, he said, mentally, the 76ers seemed to already be on vacation, and he was right as Philly fans watched their team go out in such a disappointing fashion.

And Barkley was spot on with “embarrassing,” as this wasn’t a good look for this Philadelphia team, which took down the No. 2 seed Celtics 4-3 in the first round, only to get swept by New York, and in humiliating fashion at home.

So far, only the Oklahoma City Thunder had swept a team from the playoffs, eliminating the Phoenix Suns 4-0 in the first round. OKC is now on the verge of repeating with another sweep against the Los Angeles Lakers.

No team has been hotter than the reigning champions, but the Knicks are looking more like a strong contender emerging from the Eastern Conference after completing the sweep.

New York achieved its fifth-straight win on Sunday in Philadelphia. Throughout this playoff run, they’ve had numerous fans, including celebrities, making the trip to support them in home and away games.

They’ll now get much-needed rest ahead of the Eastern Conference Finals, where they’ll play either the Detroit Pistons or the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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This story was originally published May 10, 2026 at 7:06 PM.