Kristaps Porzingis saved the Knicks from being mocked on The Simpsons

If you happened to be watching the FOX Network on a Sunday night during the past few decades, you may have noticed a little show called The Simpsons. The animated series has lampooned its share of venerable institutions over the years -- labor unions, Hank Scorpio's Globex Corporation, helper monkeys, the monorail syndicate -- and on Sunday it was the Philadelphia 76ers' turn:

The Simpsons poke fun at @Sixers We're getting better though pic.twitter.com/qS8GtRGB0N

— STEVEN J COLEMAN (@STEVENJ511) January 18, 2016

Apu: "One tube of sunblock. That will be $30.

Bald Man: "Once again, keeping the bald man down."

Apu: "I do have a Philadelphia 76ers hat that you could wear for free."

Bald Man: "I'll pay! I'll pay!"

Ya burnt, Philly!

Now, you may be thinking that this kind of joke -- mocking an NBA franchise's incompetence to a very general audience -- is usually reserved for our very own New York Knicks. And you'd be right ... except these aren't the same old Knicks.

Michael Price, who wrote the episode, discussed a crucial last-minute change to the script while live-tweeting the episode from the Critic's Choice Awards.

That was a Knicks joke til a month ago. https://t.co/4NUc1JMEaX

— Michael Price (@mikepriceinla) January 18, 2016

That hat joke was originally about the Knicks. You New Yorkers have Kristaps Porzingis to thank for it being changed to the Sixers.

— Michael Price (@mikepriceinla) January 18, 2016

Not only is Kristaps Porzingis changing the Latvian rap game, he's forcing TV writer (and animators) to alter their traditional "the Knicks are embarrassing" jokes! WorldStar, indeed.