Kris Humphries can put a positive spin on anything.
Less than a week after he was heckled during a preseason game at NYC's Madison Square Garden, the New Jersey Nets player, 26, said he views the crowd's incessant jeers as "motivation."
"People were talking crazy last year," Humphries told The Record. "There might be a little bit more this year, but to me, it's motivation."
"They want to have a reason to say something, so you have to try to not give them that reason," he added. "For me, it makes it a hostile environment and it's kind of fun to play in that environment."
Though he was booed by a crowd of 17,102 fans during Monday's season opener, Humphries helped lead the New Jersey Nets to a 90-84 victory over the Washington Wizards.
Compared to his experience at Madison Square Garden, Humphries says Monday's game "was a walk in the park." Meanwhile, coach Avery Johnson said he's still puzzled by the crowd's reaction to Kim Kardashian's ex.
"I'm trying to figure it out — what did he do?" Johnson asked. "I'm serious. Maybe because I don't follow reality TV. I don't know all the ins and outs of it, but it's pretty hilarious to me. I don't know if they even know why they're booing him.
"Keep booing him," Johnson teased. "We'll take the 20 and 16."
