Objects in the rear-view mirror are always closer than they appear. This timeless phrase couldn’t be more fitting for the Knicks in their hunt to win the Eastern Conference, and ultimately an NBA title, as they look back and see the Philadelphia 76ers, a team they ousted in the first round of the last season’s playoffs boasting similar aspirations of winning a championship in the coming years. The anchor to their title hopes, MVP big man Joel Embiid, signed a massive three-year, $192.9 million extension on Friday, a move ensuring that the Sixers, provided the oft-injured superstar can stay healthy, won’t be fading away anytime soon. Embiid’s new deal — which checks in at a whopping average annual value of $64.3 million — isn’t just a statement. It’s a flashing reminder in New York’s rearview mirror that Philadelphia is still coming for them, regardless of the result in the first round last season. With Embiid locked in through at least 2028, the Knicks can’t afford to overlook Philadelphia, even if they eliminated the Sixers without Julius Randle (shoulder surgery) and Bojan Bogdanovic (ankle surgery). While defeating Embiid and Maxey shorthanded gave the Knicks a reason to be confident, the Sixers’ aggressive offseason moves ensure they’ll remain a constant threat, now with a window open for the next four to five seasons. That’s because Embiid’s extension coincides with long-term deals signed by the Knicks’ stars. Jalen Brunson left $113 million on the table to sign a four-year, $156.6 million extension, while OG Anunoby signed a franchise-record five-year, $212.5 million contract as an unrestricted free agent. The offseason moves put the two teams positioned both the Knicks and Sixers to compete for the reigning champion Boston Celtics’ title throne – and New York and Philadelphia will be on a collision course for years to come. Like the Knicks, the Sixers are going for it: Embiid’s extension is only the latest move in an active summer widely praised as one of the most productive of all 30 NBA teams. The Sixers added Paul George, a nine-time All-Star who is one of the league’s most versatile two-way players, on a four-year, $211.6 million deal. They also locked up Tyrese Maxey, fresh off his first All-Star appearance, with a five-year, $204 million extension, while also poaching Caleb Martin away from the Miami Heat, signing veterans Eric Gordon and Andre Drummond, and bringing back Kyle Lowry and Kelly Oubre Jr. So while the Knicks upgraded their roster by trading for Mikal Bridges, the Sixers are just as loaded. New York must view Philadelphia as a team on equal footing — as a neck-and-neck drag race as opposed to an opponent they left in a shroud of smoke. But let’s not forget the Knicks have not-so quietly built one of the most balanced rosters in the league. In fact, Brunson, Bridges, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo might enjoy more frequent trips to their old stomping grounds. Philly’s Wells Fargo Center is only a 25-mile drive away from the Finneran Pavillion, where the four former college teammates hung an NCAA championship banner on the Villanova Wildcats home floor in 2016. Bridges, Brunson and DiVincenzo hung a second banner in 2018 during Hart’s rookie NBA season, and now the four reunite at Madison Square Garden, just a 90-minute trip away from the city they once called home, with the same goal in mind. Yet, lurking in the shadows — overlooked in the rear-view mirror — are the Sixers, who have just as much claim to being championship contenders as the new prizefighters in New York. Just because the Knicks handled the Sixers last season doesn’t mean it will be the same story this time around. Embiid and Drummond specifically exploit a Knicks weakness at center, especially after losing Isaiah Hartenstein to free agency. And while the Knicks’ roster may look improved on paper, Philadelphia’s depth and talent — with Maxey and George completing their dangerous trio — position the Sixers as a team ready to return with a vengeance. As the Knicks look ahead to their most promising season in over two decades, they’d be wise to keep an eye on the rear-view mirror. Because sometimes, the objects you thought you left behind have a way of catching up faster than expected.