Ben Stiller roasts 76ers star Kelly Oubre Jr. after he said stars on the Knicks' celebrity row 'don't care about the game' ahead of Philadelphia's playoff series against New York

Ben Stiller did not sit quietly after Philadelphia 76ers star Kelly Oubre Jr. jabbed at the New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden's celebrity row.

Before the first-round series between the Knicks and Sixers, Oubre acknowledged the crowd at the world's most famous arena. However, he suggested that the A-listers sitting in the front row are gifted their seats despite not caring for the team.

'They're gonna give celebrities those $100,000 [worth of] free tickets just to be there and not care about the game,' Oubre said on Friday. 'That's what they do.'

The following day, Stiller defended his fandom and sarcastically replied to Ourbe's statement on X, writing: 'Oh I think I care a lot more than you think that you thought I cared… Kelly Who-bre?'

The actor's response referenced his famous character, White Goodman, from the 2004 film Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.

Stiller's dedication to the Knicks has been on display on separate occasions. Earlier this season, Stiller ranted on X after All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson was called for a controversial foul, leading to a two-point loss against the Houston Rockets.

'@NBAOfficial How are you going to deal with the Houston Knicks awful call,' he wrote. 'Brunson getting fouled entire game by [Dillon] Brooks and then a no call – call to end the game and take it out of the players hands. Brunson is an all star and that was not a foul in this game. Wrong call. Cost overtime.'

Stiller also addressed his fandom in March when he appeared in Brunson and Josh Hart's 'Roommates Show'. During the podcast, the Zoolander star cited the shared struggle between the team and the fanbase in recent decades.

'There definitely is like true excitement about the Knicks now, and as you know, like a fan base that's like really so hungry for it.' Stiller shared. 'There's nothing compared to this city, this fanbase, this team.

'The intensity of basketball fans in New York is unlike anything else, and with social media now, the engagement is even more intense.'

Stiller's fellow actor and Knicks fan, Jerry Ferrara, also jumped into the banter, encouraging the 76ers players to keep talking before games.

'To the Sixers players. Please please please keep doing your interviews and talking your s**t,' Ferrara posted. 'We all know you have a rich playoff history the last 10 years. … This is fun! I usually just want to win at all costs. But the Sixers role players chirping in a dumb ass way is gonna add to the series.'

With Brunson at the forefront, the Knicks had one of their best seasons recently, clinching the second seed with a 50-32 record.

Meanwhile, the 76ers secured the 7th seed in a play-in game against the Miami Heat after a 46-36 finish. The 76ers and Knicks will kick off their series at 6 pm ET on Saturday at MSG.