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Noah congratulates Cleveland, 'even though it's not a vacation spot'

David Richard / USA TODAY Sports

New York Knicks center Joakim Noah has a longstanding beef with the city of Cleveland, and he's not backing off now just because the Cavaliers are world champions.

In town for the Knicks' season opener on Cavs ring night, Noah still managed to get in a firm elbow to the ribs.

"Congratulations to Cleveland, even though it's not a vacation spot," he told reporters Tuesday, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.

Noah's disparagement of the city goes back to 2010, when he was a member of the Chicago Bulls and playing in the playoffs against the Cavs during LeBron James' first stint there.

"It's pretty depressing out here, man," Noah said in a TNT interview before Game 1 in Cleveland. "It's bad. It's bad. No going out in Cleveland."

After being booed relentlessly by the Cavs' fans in a Game 2 loss, Noah was asked in postgame presser if he had any regrets about his comments. He didn't.

"You think Cleveland's cool?" he shot back. "I mean, I never heard anybody say 'I'm going to Cleveland on vacation.' What's so good about Cleveland?"

On Tuesday night, plenty. While Noah and company are watching LeBron and friends try on their rings under a championship banner at Quicken Loans Arena, the Indians will be hosting Game 1 of the World Series just across the street at Progressive Field.

Almost sounds vacation-worthy.

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