PHILADELPHIA — The New York-Philadelphia sporting hate traces way back.

There was Chuck Bednarik of the Eagles clobbering Frank Gifford of the Giants almost 64 years ago and relations have deteriorated from there.

There was Dave Schultz of the Flyers pummeling Dale Rolfe of the Rangers exactly 50 years ago.

Then we have Chase Utley and — more recently — Rhys Hoskins of the Phillies and everyone who has ever flipped either guy the bird at a Mets’ game.

And, of course, we can’t forget Patrick Ewing and the Knicks breaking out brooms in 1989 after sweeping the Sixers in a playoff series.

And that all leads us to today, with the animosity needle in the red as the Knicks and Sixers prepare for Game 4 here this afternoon.

Very little prodding was necessary for these squads to dislike each other, but many logs were thrown on the fire in Game 2, when the Knicks scored the game’s final eight points — and committed two fouls that went uncalled — to take a 2-0 series lead.

On Thursday, the Sixers won behind a 50-point night from Joel Embiid, who the Knicks felt should have been ejected in the first half for a flagrant foul committed against Knick big man Mitchell Robinson.

How things go this afternoon may very well hinge on that Embiid vs. Knicks big men dynamic.

Like just about every other center in the league, Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein and Precious Achiuwa will have their hands full with the 7-foot, 280-pound Embiid, but New York’s task will get way harder if Robinson’s ankle problems keep him out today. Robinson left the arena in a walking boot Thursday night.

No matter who the primary defender is, expect the Knicks to double-team Embiid to get the ball out of his hands.

Embiid has his own problems. The reigning MVP played with a bulky brace on his surgically repaired left knee while revealing after the game he is dealing with lingering symptoms of Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis.

As for the play involving Robinson, Embiid claimed to be protecting himself from being landed on by the Knick center.

“I didn’t mean to hurt anybody,” Embiid said., “but in those situations, I have to protect myself, because I’ve been in way too many situations where I’m the recipient of the bad end of it.”

Not surprisingly, the Knicks called baloney on that.

“We expect physicality,” said Knick guard Donte DiVicenzo, who had a few choice words for Embiid in the moment. “I think the grab that he did on Mitch was dirty.”

“That’s not a basketball play,” Hartenstein said. “I think that’s the take on that.”

— NEED TO KNOW: The 76ers are home, where they won a play-in tournament game against Miami and then beat the Knicks. Philadelphia scored 43 points in the third quarter, the most it has posted in a playoff quarter since a franchise-record 51 in the third against Brooklyn in 2019.

— KEEP AN EYE ON: Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers in the Game 3 victory. Embiid, who scored a franchise-best 70 points against San Antonio in January, became the first player in NBA history to score 50 points on fewer than 20 shots in a playoff game.

The Knicks know putting Embiid on the line is poison.

“The biggest thing is the free throws,” said Hartenstein. “That gets him in rhythm. He made six 3s. Most of them were contested. So sometimes you gotta live with that. But just playing more team defense and being more physical and not let him get to the foul line where he can catch rhythm.”

— PRESSURE IS ON: The Knick guards Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and DiVincenzo. Brunson did lead the Knicks with 39 points and 13 assists in Game 3 after shooting poorly in the first two games. Hart — whose spectacular 3-point shooting in New York was an unexpected bonus for the Knicks — scored 20 points but DiVincenzo had five.