Sixers surprise teachers, healthcare workers with free playoff tickets for Game 3

Hundreds of teachers and healthcare workers filled Xfinity Mobile Arena Friday night for Game 3 of the playoff matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks.

The Sixers gave away 250 tickets to teachers across Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey. They also gifted 250 tickets to health care workers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine.

Among those surprised with tickets was Erin Rambo, a fourth-grade teacher at Camden's Pride Charter School.

"I've loved the Sixers for my whole entire life," Rambo said. "Now that I can come here and experience this with my coworkers and my friends and get to see these guys play tough and hard like I know that they can, I'm just thrilled to be here."

Rambo said she became emotional after learning she would attend the playoff game.

"I just was like overwhelmed and shocked and excited, and the tears just came out," she said.

Rebecca Phelen, a school administrator, said the school even held a Sixers-themed trivia contest to determine which teachers would attend.

"We did a trivia game with the 76ers trivia to see which teachers could go," Phelen said.

Mike Goings, vice president of social responsibility and fan development for the Sixers, said the organization wanted to recognize workers in the community while also energizing the home crowd.

"This is the perfect week to do it, it's Teacher Appreciation Week, as well as Nurses Appreciation Week," Goings said. "We wanted to use the opportunity to really reward people in the community and get the most passionate fans in our building for our games this weekend."

Emily Foley of Haddon Township said attending the playoff game with coworkers made the experience especially memorable.

"To be able to do this with coworkers is very special, especially right now because it's the end of the year, so it's kind of crazy," she said.

Foley said she never expected to attend a playoff game in person.

"I literally never thought I'd ever make it to a playoff game, so this is like crazy," she said. "I was walking in, I was like, 'No way.'"

Despite the Sixers entering the game down 0-2 in the series, many fans remained optimistic.

"Seeing all the struggles the team had to this recent bump of success, I feel like they can pull a turnaround today for sure," Foley said.