The New York Knicks swept the Philadelphia 76ers. This time, by the results, Karl-Anthony Towns decisively outperformed Joel Embiid.
Although the spotlight of the Knicks-76ers series has shifted away from these two big men—focusing more on Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, OG Anunoby, and even rookie Edrice Adebayo in recent days—those who remember know that the most compelling storyline remains the one between Embiid and Towns.
Their rivalry has deep roots.
The initial spark might have simply been youthful defiance. Since entering the league, Towns had been touted by media as the “future of interior play” and was voted by executives as the “most promising young star under 25” for consecutive years. But Embiid, a big man with a classic style, looked down on a center who wasn’t known for one-on-one prowess.
And as everyone knows, Embiid has never been one to back down from a feud—and he’s clever about it, especially online.
After a win over the Timberwolves, Embiid posted a photo on social media with the caption: “Euro step through Minnesota, we successfully lifted the kitty!”
What does “lifting the kitty” mean? It was an inside joke within the 76ers organization at the time.
It originated from a photo of Ben Simmons holding his cat, a rare and expensive breed he adored, which fans also loved. Following the “humans are repeaters” principle, 76ers fans started posting photos of themselves holding their cats after wins, turning it into a celebratory ritual. So “lifting the kitty” essentially meant “winning.”
At first glance, Embiid’s post seemed harmless—just a regular celebration photo. But it showcased his cleverness:
Cat. CAT = KAT, Karl-Anthony Towns. In English, everyone calls Towns “KAT.” After beating Towns for the first time that season, Embiid posted his first “lifting the kitty” celebration. What was he implying?
To put it in a Chinese context, it’s like posting a photo of eating a soft candy after beating someone named Tang (which sounds like “candy” in Chinese) with the caption “eating candy.” It looks innocent on the surface, but everyone knows the subtext. If Towns took offense, he’d risk being labeled as overreacting: “No one said it was about you, why are you so sensitive?” Then the usual online attacks would follow.
Embiid smiled, already in an unbeatable position.
After all, in the online world, Embiid is a master.
He missed his first two and a half seasons due to injury. Unlike others who enjoyed fishing, driving, or clubbing, Embiid spent that time studying basketball and indulging in gaming and internet browsing. He’s an intense online presence, comparable to Kevin Durant, and can be called one of the “keyboard titans” of the NBA. And he even edges out Durant: he always uses his real name openly online.
This made Embiid the NBA’s top trash-talker and meme master.
For example, early in his rehab, Embiid appeared on a TV interview with Jalen Rose (former NBA player, famously known for guarding Kobe when he scored 81 points). When Rose asked about his recovery progress, Embiid smiled and said, “I’m 81% recovered. Jalen Rose, say that number out loud.”
Another example: a month ago, Chris Paul posted a famous meme of a mysterious black man (no, not the “mysterious 6’0″ black man”). The original caption was “I’m going to my enemy’s funeral to make sure he’s really dead,” which people praised as clever. But how did Paul find that photo? It was Embiid who dug it up from the vast internet years ago and made it popular.
In the realm of online trolling, Towns is no match for Embiid. So when Embiid posted the “lifting the kitty” photo, Towns’ retaliation was futile.
Towns couldn’t help but reply under Embiid’s post: “Your caption is as low-quality as your photo.”
Embiid immediately fired back: “Better quality than your defense.”
The winner was clear.
From there, their feud escalated.
On one hand, their social media exchanges became increasingly heated and vulgar. Towns, still somewhat restrained, posted a photo of Embiid crying after being eliminated by Kawhi Leonard, with a caption like “Is that all?” Embiid, enraged, fired back: “You’ve never even tasted the second round of the playoffs,” and escalated to personal attacks.
On the other hand, their conflict spilled onto the court. During a heated matchup, they engaged in a physical altercation, resulting in technical fouls and even suspensions. As Embiid left the court, he received a middle finger from Towns’ mother.
If the story had ended there, this would be Towns’ perfect revenge story—he could now smugly say, “You’ve never even tasted the Eastern Conference Finals.”
But before that, the story took a dramatic 180-degree turn.
Shortly after Towns’ mother gave Embiid the middle finger, she tragically passed away from illness. As soon as Embiid heard the news, he immediately reached out to Towns with heartfelt condolences. Towns was deeply moved and responded, “If you ever need anything, just call me.”
Embiid told reporters that he and Towns actually had a good relationship; it was just competition.
Towns said to reporters that he and Embiid had known each other long before, and their friendship went way back.
According to Towns, they later laughed together about their social media battles.
Now, they only have praise for each other, respecting each other’s game and achievements. In this series, Embiid fought through injuries to play, while Towns selflessly transitioned into a supporting role, together forging a commendable story—one that may not be flashy but is worthy of praise.
