The New York Knicks won a second consecutive game and their fifth in seven tries on Friday by outlasting the Wizards at Madison Square Garden, 100-97. As a result, the team leapfrogged Washington in the East standings to move into the No. 11 spot in the conference.
New York’s latest win wasn’t just notable for the bump up the table, though. It also marked another Big Apple return for former All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis who, at one time, was the center of the Knicks universe.
For the most part, the Unicorn performed well in front of his former fans, scoring 18 points on just nine shot attempts and adding 11 rebounds and a blocked shot in the game. But he wasn’t exactly well-received during the homecoming.
Throughout the contest, the MSG crowd booed Porzingis vociferously. When asked about the phenomenon — which has now persisted for three years — Knicks star Julius Randle opined that it was just the fans’ usual M.O.
“It’s the Garden,” Randle said with a laugh. Meanwhile, Porzingis had a similar response to what transpired.
Porzingis on His Icy Reception and Basketball’s Mecca
After the game, Porzingis was asked about his feelings on playing in the World’s Most Famous Arena. Despite the fact that he now enters the building as a member of the opposition, the baller indicated that he still loves doing so whenever the gets the chance.
“I enjoy this. I enjoy playing at MSG, whether it’s at home before or now on the road. It’s always entertaining,” said Porzingis.
The Latvian national further noted that the booing he continues to receive whenever he comes back to his old stomping grounds doesn’t really faze him. He still has a lot of love for the place and its people regardless.
“It’s in the past now. I love the city. I miss this city a lot. I miss a lot of people here. Yeah, it is what it is, but I really enjoyed my time here and I only have good memories from this place.”
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What’s the Big Problem Anyway?
Although Knicks fans don’t really have reason to boo Porzingis at this point, the fact remains that there’s a lot of water under that particular bridge. While he had the look of a potential superstar when he was in NYC, the Knicks never won more than 32 games when he was with the team.
That, in and of itself, is enough to inspire some jeers; things reached a whole other level when he demanded a trade while on the sidelines with one of his many injuries. And then, when he finally did get dealt to Dallas, he posted a GIF of himself getting chummy with Luka Doncic while he was still with New York.
So, while the three years that have passed since the trade are a veritable NBA lifetime, we can probably forgive Knicks Nation for continuing to be a bit surly over the whole thing, necessary or not.
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