Kristaps Porzingis, once revered by New York Knicks fans, was heavily booed on Saturday upon his return to Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY
The taunting began as soon as Porzingis was introduced as part of the Celtics’ starting lineup.
The Latvian center shook off the hecklers and delivered a strong performance in the Celtics’ 116-102 win over the Knicks. Porzingis was the Celtics’ second-leading scorer with 22 points on 7-for-11 shooting. Against his former team he also scored 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
Instead of letting the animosity consume him, Porzingis admitted that he now enjoys the booing. The Celtics star spoke openly during Saturday’s postgame press conference about the hate he received from fans who once adored him.
“I enjoy it, to be honest. [The boos] were heard throughout my years in Washington. … I feel like they’ve increased a little bit again, me being on the Celtics and having this kind of rivalry with the Knicks.