Porzingis talks openly about being made fun of by Knicks fans.

Kristaps Porzingis, a fan favourite of the New York Knicks, was heckled aloud on Saturday as he returned to Madison Square Garden in New York City, N.Y.

The jokes began as soon as Porzingis was announced as the Celtics’ starting lineup.

The big man from Latvia silenced the hecklers and led the Celtics to a 116-102 victory over the Knicks. Porzingis, the second-leading scorer for the Celtics, finished with 22 points on 7/11 shooting. He also had four assists and four rebounds against his former team.

Porzingis claimed that instead of being overtaken by the hate, he now finds joy in the jeers. The Celtics star was upfront about the vitriol he was getting from those who used to look up to him during the postgame press conference on Saturday.

Honestly, I think it’s good. I saw a decrease in [the jeers] when I lived in Washington. I think things have picked back up a little with me playing for the Celtics and our rivalry with the Knicks.

Porzingis continued by stating that he prefers feelings of any type to indifference. He would rather hear some kind of response from the boisterous fans that pack the stands to watch Porzingis and the Celtics play, than to be left out in the cold.

The former All-Star has done a fantastic job in his Celtics rookie season. In 42 games thus far this season, Porzingis has averaged 20.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and a career-high 52.7% field goal shooting percentage.

The Knicks and Celtics might face off in the postseason given their respective standings. If Porzingis and the team play in the postseason, his critics will likely grow intolerable.