SB Nation New York - Nets beat Knicks in overtime, 96-89https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48977/ny-fave.png2012-11-27T09:45:16-05:00http://newyork.sbnation.com/rss/stream/34563492012-11-27T09:45:16-05:002012-11-27T09:45:16-05:00Knicks-Nets just heating up
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<figcaption>Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The best rivalries are ones that are never settled.</p> <p>If the battle for ownership of New York basketball between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets were a championship prizefight, the Nets would be up on the scorecards after the first round.</p>
<p>The Nets' 96-89 overtime win on Monday over the Knicks at the Barclays Center earned them a 10-9 round. It wasn't a one-sided, 10-8 type round; the Knicks never tasted the canvas, and they certainly were never down for the count. The corner never threw the towel in. Rather, both the Knicks and Nets tasted some leather, had some good exchanges and went back to their corners on their feet. The difference being that the Nets are now sitting on their stool breathing just a bit easier knowing that they're up, ever so slightly.</p>
<p>Rivalries can be created in one game but they can't be decided in one. But when you came to your senses on Tuesday morning, that's exactly what a lot of people want you to believe. Supremacy in New York is now officially up for grabs, or at worst if you're a Knicks fan, owned by the Nets.</p>
<p><a href="http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/8680978/new-york-knicks-own-big-apple-anymore-brooklyn-nets-proved-barclays-center" target="_blank">Ian O'Connor of ESPN New York wrote in a column</a> on Tuesday morning:</p>
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<p>"So the Knicks should be afraid of Brooklyn, very, very afraid. They shouldn't worry so much about getting out of the East, not when there's suddenly a real reason to believe they might not get out of New York."</p>
<p><i>-</i><a href="http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/8680978/new-york-knicks-own-big-apple-anymore-brooklyn-nets-proved-barclays-center" target="_blank"><i>via ESPNNewYork.com</i></a></p>
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<p>With all due respect, Mr. O'Connor, that is simply asinine. What do the Knicks have to be afraid of? So since the Nets beat them on Monday, are no fans going to show up at Madison Square Garden for the rest of the season? For the rest of time, perhaps? Should the Knicks contract, fold up shop and go away forever? Even if the Nets sweep the season series for five straight seasons, are the Knicks simply not going to play the other 78 games on their schedule every year, and quit? Maybe they should just move to Kansas City, because this whole New York thing has clearly run its course.</p>
<p>What makes a good rivalry is that it's never really decided. For the better part of a century, those on the positive side of the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox rivalry could laugh at the Sox' futility and scoff, "Ha! Rivalry? What rivalry?" And maybe they had a case. What good was the rivalry if you always knew the Yankees were going to win, the Red Sox going to fail?</p>
<p>Then 2004 happened. And the Red sox won a World Series again in 2007. Finally, Red Sox fans had their moments, their legitimate leg to stand on in the debate. It was a long time coming, but it was bound to happen and now the dynamic of Yankees-Red Sox is forever changed.</p>
<p>Another good example, given geographic circumstances, is the ongoing battle between the New York Giants and New York Jets. Talk about one sided! What "ongoing battle", you moron!?</p>
<p>There's no dispute that the Giants are the better franchise on every level, by a longshot. But if we allow ourselves to rewind right before Christmas Eve of last year, when the 8-6 Jets were slated to host the 7-7 Giants, how could we have said the Giants owned the Jets completely, and that the Jets were the laughingstock of the city? Had the Jets beaten the Giants that day, that would have marked three straight seasons where the Jets made the playoffs and the Giants didn't, three years straight where the Jets were unquestionably the better team in the city. The Giants would have still owned the title count, and the most recent one of course, but their stronghold over the Jets in terms of "ownership" of the city wouldn't have been nearly as strong as it is now, after Victor Cruz's two-way, franchise-changing scamper. What last year's Giants-Jets game proves to us is that rivalries are fluid.</p>
<p>And so while the Nets drew first blood in this brand new turf battle, this thing isn't over. If Knicks-Nets ends up being a truly remarkable rivalry, we'll be sitting in bars, at work, at school and on blogs and social media arguing about it 30 years from now. And beyond. In that time, both teams will have had their successes and failures, both in the league and against each other.</p>
<p>The bell for Round 2 rings on December 11. We'll watch and then we'll argue some more, make more proclamations. Then we'll do it all over again, and again, and again. And when we think it's finally decided, it won't be. It never is.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2012/11/27/3696924/new-york-knicks-brooklyn-nets-reaction-recap-nba-scoresChris Celletti2012-11-27T09:14:43-05:002012-11-27T09:14:43-05:00Nets vs. Knicks post-game reaction
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<figcaption>Gerald Wallace confronts Carmelo Anthony | Bruce Bennett</figcaption>
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<p>Here is some of the post-game reaction following the Brooklyn Nets' overtime victory Monday over the New York Knicks.</p> <p>Here is some of the post-game reaction from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Brooklyn Nets</a>' 96-89 victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">New York Knicks</a> Monday in the first-ever meeting between the teams at the new Barclays Center.</p>
<p><a href="http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/8680978/new-york-knicks-own-big-apple-anymore-brooklyn-nets-proved-barclays-center">New York Knicks don't own Big Apple anymore -- Brooklyn Nets proved that at Barclays Center - ESPN New York</a><br>The Nets have a ton going for them. They have contending talent (at last), a royal first couple (Jay-Z and Beyonce) for front-row face time on national TV, and enough loyal customers to shout down the same Knicks fans who once owned the arenas in Jersey. <br><br> "The atmosphere in here was unbelievable," Anthony said. "It was a special place to play." <br><br> Melo batted away the suggestion that Brooklyn could pose a serious challenge to the Knicks' playoff designs by saying the Nets "are not somebody we're looking at every day and tracking their stats." But that is about to change. <br><br> The Nets became the first Eastern Conference opponent to beat the Knicks, and the home team pulled it off Monday night in a game, Chandler said, "where both teams understood what was at stake." <br><br> So the Knicks should be afraid of Brooklyn, very, very afraid. They shouldn't worry so much about getting out of the East, not when there's suddenly a real reason to believe they might not get out of New York.</p>
<p><a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/11/27/lichtenstein-nets-thrilling-win-just-the-beginning-of-beautiful-rivalry-with-knicks/">Lichtenstein: Nets’ Thrilling Win Just The Beginning Of Beautiful Rivalry With Knicks " CBS New York</a><br>if both of these evenly matched New York City hoopsters continue to play with the spirited intensity that they exhibited last night, there’s a good chance that they could meet in games of far greater importance than Game 13 of a long regular season. If such a comparably irrelevant game as this one generated so much buzz, imagine what a Subway Series would bring?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.netsdaily.com/2012/11/27/3696662/live-from-section-230-of-the-barclays-center">Live from Section 230 of the Barclays Center - NetsDaily</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.postingandtoasting.com/2012/11/26/3695824/nets-96-knicks-89-ot-well-that-was-terrible">Nets 96, Knicks 89 (OT): "Well, that was terrible." - Posting and Toasting</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/2012/11/27/3696188/jay-z-says-new-york-city-is-under-new-management">Jay-Z says New York City is 'under new management' - SBNation.com</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/11/27/3695934/knicks-vs-nets-recap-2012-deron-williams-raymond-felton">Knicks vs. Nets debrief: Deron Williams' subtle brilliance, Raymond Felton's not-so-subtle issues - SBNation.com</a></p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2012/11/27/3696776/nets-96-knicks-89-ot-post-game-reaction-nba-schedule-barclays-centerEd Valentine2012-11-26T23:06:23-05:002012-11-26T23:06:23-05:00Who were the top 5 stars in the Knicks-Nets game?
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<figcaption>Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The first (delayed) shot in the brand-new <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">New York Knicks</a>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Brooklyn Nets</a> rivalry was fired on Monday night, with the hard-fought 96-89 win by the Nets, which of course had to go into overtime just to make the game that much more memorable. The first time the two teams met in a regular-season NBA game came on Nov. 30, 1976, at Madison Square Garden, and the newly-joined-from-the-ABA Nets won that one as well, in a game that was just as closely contested, as they edged the Knicks, 104-103. The star on that night was Hall-of-Fame point guard Nate Archibald, who led the Nets with 34 points, while adding eight assists and four steals. He scored 11 of the Nets' last 21 points. Archibald's backcourt mate Super John Williamson poured in 24 points. Spencer Haywood led the Knicks, with 25 points, and Walt Frazier (15 points) started at forward for the first time in his career. Here are the Top 5 stars of Monday night's historic game in Brooklyn.</p>
<p><b>5. <span>Gerald Wallace</span>: </b>We could go any number of ways here, with <span>Jerry Stackhouse</span> getting a nod for his four three-pointers or <span>Reggie Evans</span> and his 14 rebounds, but we'll pick Wallace because of his all-around play and logging twice as many minutes as those two. He scored 16 points, with two threes, grabbed five rebounds, blocked two shots, had a couple of steals and two assists. But most importantly, he hounded the Knicks on defense and was relentless all night.</p>
<p><b>4. <span>Carmelo Anthony</span>: </b>It was looking like Anthony would take over the game, as he poured in 35 points in 50 minutes, but things began teetering toward The Carmelo Anthony Show with his teammates watching him, but then they seemingly forgot about him at the end of the fourth quarter and barely let him touch the ball (as <span>Raymond Felton</span> did his John Starks 1994 Game 7 impression). Anthony hauled in 13 rebounds, and had a steal, a block and an assist. He had an off night at the free-throw line, though, going 10-or-16.</p>
<p><b>3. <span>Tyson Chandler</span>: </b>The Knick center poured in a career-high 28 points, on almost perfect 12-for-13 shooting. He added 10 rebounds, with seven coming on the offensive boards, giving his team second chances all night. He also had a steal and an assist to go with a few furious dunks.</p>
<p><b>2. <span>Brook Lopez</span>: </b>The game featured a great battle of centers, and Lopez more than held his own with Chandler. The Net center led all players with five blocked shots, and he scored 22 points, with 11 rebounds, matching Chandler's seven offensive boards. This was the type of game the Nets were hoping for from Lopez this season, and so far he hasn't disappointed.</p>
<p><b>1. <span>Deron Williams</span>: </b>The Nets' leader willed his team to a win on their home court. His 16 points were a nice complement to his more important 14 assists, as he ran the show and set up his teammates for easy shots all over the floor. Williams added six rebounds and three steals. It's his team and his home, and he gave his fans their first victory over the Knicks in the first of many battles with this intense playoff-like win.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2012/11/26/3695952/the-top-5-stars-of-debut-new-york-knicks-brooklyn-nets-game-knicks-vs-nets-deron-williamsJeff Freier2012-11-26T22:36:12-05:002012-11-26T22:36:12-05:00Nets down Knicks in overtime, 96-89
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<figcaption>Bruce Bennett</figcaption>
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<p>'Clash Of The Burroughs' produces playoff atmosphere.</p> <p>The Battle For New York is far from over, but the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Nets</a> took the first ever 'Clash Of The Burroughs', 96-89 in overtime.</p>
<p>With the brand new Barclays Center filled to the brim with a mix of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">Knicks</a> and Nets fans, there was an electricity in the building that we rarely get to see in the first month of the season. Both sides will claim their fans took over the game, but there was an answer for every chant right until the final horn.</p>
<p>The Knicks and Nets were separated by just one game entering action Monday night and they were neck-and-neck all night long. Brooklyn led by three after the first quarter, but the Knicks came back to take a two point lead going into halftime. The Nets took back the lead after three before a fourth quarter that saw both teams nearly run away with the game.</p>
<p>New York had a chance to close out the Nets late in the fourth quarter, with a one point lead and less than a minute to go, but head coach Mike Woodson called the number of an ice-cold Raymond Felton, who promptly missed a jumper. The Nets then had their own chance to win the game, but Brooklyn center Brook Lopez hit just one of two from the line to tie things up with 22.3 in regulation.</p>
<p>Given another chance to feed one of the best pure scorers in the league with the game on the line, the Knicks didn't make the same mistake twice. Anthony was able to shake Gerald Wallace for a split second and get off a jumper that fell just short and these two franchises were headed to their first ever overtime in their first every matchup.</p>
<p>Lopez and Tyson Chandler traded buckets before Felton again took and missed another shot without Anthony touching the ball. Veteran Jerry Stackhouse took advantage with a corner three to give the lead to Brooklyn. A J.R. Smith offensive foul gave the ball back to the Nets, but after being fouled, Wallace could only hit one of two at the line, extending the lead to four points.</p>
<p>Refusing to be ignored again, Anthony quickly hoisted up a contested three that never had a chance and led to a Wallace finger roll to put Brooklyn up six with just over two minutes left.</p>
<p>The Knicks just couldn't get going on offense, with Steve Novack missing a three, followed by Anthony managing just a single free throw before he had his shot blocked on the next possession.</p>
<p>As Williams stood at the line to sink free throws with the outcome finally decided, he was showered with chants of "M-V-P".</p>
<p>A couple buckets and a frustration foul from Melo gave us a 96-89 final score in the first ever meeting between the Knicks and Nets.</p>
<p>Lopez led the Nets with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Williams and Wallace both chipped in 16.</p>
<p>Anthony continued his amazing season for the Knicks, playing all but three minutes and scoring 35 points while grabbing 13 rebounds. But he missed six free throws and was oddly invisible when it mattered most, held without a field goal in the final seven minutes.</p>
<p>These two teams will get back at it for the rematch on December 11 when the Knicks take another trip to the Barclays Center, once again on national TV.</p>
<p>Next up for the Nets are the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a>, while the Knicks head to Milwaukee to take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brewhoop.com/">Bucks</a>.</p>
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<p>Nets vs Knicks 2012: Brooklyn Wins First City Showdown with New York, Moves into 1st with OT Win (via <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=82PtEXEMNlk">sbnation</a>)</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2012/11/26/3695602/brooklyn-nets-new-york-knicks-final-score-recap-boxscore-highlights-carmelo-anthonyRyan Jones2012-11-26T09:30:16-05:002012-11-26T09:30:16-05:00Knicks-Nets: More than just one game
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<figcaption>Nelson Chenault-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The Knicks play three games this week - none bigger or with the spotlight brighter than on Monday's game in Brooklyn against the rival Nets in the first game between the two since the Nets relocated to the borough. </p> <p>Hurricane Sandy delayed the start of the season for both the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">New York Knicks</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Brooklyn Nets</a>, but on Monday night, the rivalry is finally set to begin. Before the season began, both New York teams had many questions surrounding them. Neither side was believed to be a real threat to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Miami Heat</a> in the Eastern Conference, and even unseating the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a> in the Atlantic Division seemed like a pipe dream. It's very early still, but the Knicks and Nets have both proven that they're to be taken seriously, which makes Monday's rivalry kick-off even that much more exciting.</p>
<p>For the 9-3 Knicks (for both sides for that matter), the game has both tangible and intangible meaning. The Knicks rebounded on Sunday after a tough weekend which included losses on Wednesday and Friday in Dallas and Houston, where the Knicks gave up a combined 245 points, a number that would have made a lot more sense in the Mike D'Antoni regime. The Knicks got back to winning ways on Sunday in a mostly one-sided victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a>, but the Nets are sure to provide a stiffer test.</p>
<p>The Nets enter the game at 8-4, and although most of their schedule has been pretty soft, the Nets have posted impressive wins over the Celtics and most recently the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a>. They have a style and they're sticking to it, and that style under Avery Johnson has been to slow it down. Through 12 games, the Nets are playing at the league's slowest pace, averaging an estimated 88.3 possessions per 48 minutes, a league low. That plays well into the Knicks hands, as <span>Mike Woodson's</span> wide is the league's most offensively efficient team to date (it bears noting that the Nets are fifth in the league as well).</p>
<p>Both teams have stars that they lean heavily on, and for the Knicks it's <span>Carmelo Anthony</span>. Anthony is playing at an MVP-level this season, and recently has put teams away early with killer first quarters and first halves. Against Detroit, the Knicks were able to play their star just 32 minutes, so expect a relatively fresh Anthony on Monday. The Knicks continue to get contributions form up and down their roster, as <span>J.R. Smith</span> continues to fill the stat sheet from game-to-game.</p>
<p>The game is likely to have a playoff atmosphere and the implications will feel bigger than the one out of 82 it truly is. Monday begins a brand new turf war in New York sports, one that will be the most intense intra-city rivalry in all of the major sports. The Giants and Jets play once every four years, and the Giants recent success and Jets' very recent return to poor form has made that "rivalry" - which was always manufcatured - obsolete. If the Giants and Jets' rivalry is a joke, then the Yankees-Mets rivalry is a circus. Once the Islanders move to Brooklyn, their rivalry with the Rangers will be incredibly intense, but that's a few years off.</p>
<p>For the Knicks, it's just one game. For the Nets, it's just one game. But the fact that it's against each other, for the first time. Yeah, it means just a little bit more.</p>
<p><b>Game time:</b> 7 p.m. ET</p>
<p><b>TV:</b> TNT</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2012/11/26/3690938/new-york-knicks-brooklyn-nets-game-time-tv-information-carmelo-anthony-deron-williamsChris Celletti2012-11-26T09:22:41-05:002012-11-26T09:22:41-05:00This week's unsung hero plays in Brooklyn
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<figcaption>Jim O'Connor-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Brooklyn Nets</a> closed out their West Coast road trip with a pair of losses, but they recovered nicely with two wins back at home, defeating the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a>. <span>Joe Johnson</span> has sparked the offense, as he gets more and more comfortable in his new surroundings, <span>Brook Lopez</span> is coming into his own, scoring and rebounding, and <span>Deron Williams</span> orchestrates the offense. But the X factor for the team right now is the grit off the bench, led by wily veteran <span>Reggie Evans</span>.</p>
<p>The relentless, tenacious Evans is a rebounding machine, hauling in 12 boards in only 22-plus minutes in Friday's victory over the Clippers and doing it again on Sunday against the Trail Blazers, grabbing 14 rebounds, again in only 22-plus minutes off the bench. On Friday, he also chipped in with six points, was a +15 and drove his old team crazy, drawing two technicals. He repeated his performance in Sunday's matinee, drawing another late-game technical, and adding two points, two assists and a steal.</p>
<p>The Nets have now won five consecutive home games as they head into the much-anticipated Battle of New York, on Monday night, when they host the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">New York Knicks</a>. And the bench has given the team a huge lift helping them return to their winning ways over the weekend. Evans is averaging eight rebounds per game, and leads the league with 20.8 rebounds per 48 minutes. He's almost always in the right position, and works harder than anyone else on the court. All that makes Reggie Evans the Unsung Hero of the Week.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2012/11/26/3692534/the-unsung-hero-of-the-week-reggie-evans-brooklyn-nets-deron-williams-joe-johnsonJeff Freier2012-11-26T08:00:30-05:002012-11-26T08:00:30-05:00Nets looking to swipe first place from Knicks
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<figcaption>Bruce Bennett</figcaption>
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<p>At 8-4, the Nets are one game out of first place in the Atlantic Division. The team in front of them just happens to be their friends from Manhattan, the New York Knicks. </p> <p>Right now, life is good for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Brooklyn Nets</a>. <br><br>They're winners of seven out of nine games, five straight on their home court -- where the support has been loud and enthusiastic, a far cry from the two dormant seasons in Newark -- and shown a killer instinct in their last two wins over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a>. In the fourth quarter of those victories, the Nets have outscored their opponents 51-28 while slapping both teams by double digits. <br><br>At 8-4, the Nets are one game out of first place in the Atlantic Division. The team in front of them just happens to be their friends from Manhattan, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">New York Knicks</a>. And the teams just happen to have a rescheduled contest on Monday at the Barclays Center. Emotions have run high with the Nets doing their share of talking all summer, but they enter the showdown with eyes on the prize that is the Atlantic Division penthouse. <br><br>"That’s why it's a big game," said Nets point guard <span>Deron Williams</span>. "It's not just because it's the Knicks, it's because they have (one of the) best record(s) in the East, and they're a tough team, so it's a good game for that purpose."<br><br>Williams had 15 points, 12 assists, four blocked shots and three steals, leading the Nets to a 98-85 victory over the Trail Blazers on Sunday, allowing them to enter the Knicks game with tremendous momentum. Unlike Knicks-Nets games in New Jersey that were dominated by Knicks fans cheering against the home team, the Nets are expecting Monday's crowd to be Brooklyn strong.<br><br>"I'm sure it's going to be a hostile environment for them," said Nets guard <span>Joe Johnson</span>. "Everybody's been waiting for this moment, and we're gonna try to come out and protect our home court."</p>
<p><b>Game time:</b> 7 p.m. ET</p>
<p><b>TV:</b> TNT<br><br><i>Follow Jon Lane on Twitter: </i><a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/JonLaneNYC"><i><b>@JonLaneNYC</b></i></a></p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2012/11/26/3690704/brooklyn-nets-new-york-knicks-nba-schedule-standingsJon Lane2012-11-26T07:56:45-05:002012-11-26T07:56:45-05:00New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets: It's on
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<figcaption>Bruce Bennett</figcaption>
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<p>Originally scheduled for November 1 until Hurricane Sandy hit the tri-state area, the Brooklyn Nets will finally host the New York Knicks on Monday night in an eagerly-anticipated contest at the Barclays Center.</p> <p>Bring it on. It's finally time.<br><br>Originally scheduled for November 1 until Hurricane Sandy hit the tri-state area, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Brooklyn Nets</a> will finally host the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">New York Knicks</a> on Monday night in an eagerly anticipated contest at the Barclays Center. It's the main course of a week that sees the Nets travel to Boston on Wednesday, Orlando on Friday and Miami on Saturday.<br><br>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a>? The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic</a>? The reigning champion Miami Heat? Who are we kidding? The Knicks (9-3) and Nets (8-4) are the top-two teams in the Atlantic Division and have been chomping at the tantalizing prospect of playing one another since the Nets uprooted from New Jersey to settle in <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Kings</a> County. They've established the borough of Brooklyn as not only a legit home, but a tough place to play. Sunday's 98-85 victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> was the Nets' fifth straight game at home, a streak last established in March 2011 during their final season in the Garden State. In addition, the 6-1 start is the Nets' best since the 2002-03 season when they won 18 of their first 19 at home. <br><br>Brooklynites have supported the team wearing the hip black-and-white colors and hollering "Brook-LYN! Brook-LYN!" during games. The fan base is growing, but the first true test comes on Monday facing the team that's enjoyed a stranglehold on New York City basketball, even during its leanest of years. <br><br>"It's a game a lot of people have been waiting for," Johnson said. "We're excited about it. We're at home. I know our guys are going to be jacked up and ready to play, but we have to be ourselves."<br><br>Winners of two straight and seven of nine, the Nets enter the first "Grapple for the Apple" with momentum off an impressive win over Portland when they took full control of the game in the second half. <span>Joe Johnson</span> led the Nets (8-4) with 21 points on 10 of 19 shooting. <span>Deron Williams</span> and <span>Brook Lopez</span> each finished with 15 points and <span>Kris Humphries</span> added 14, and Andray Blantche (13 points) and <span>Reggie Evans</span> (14 rebounds) sparked the "Bench Mob."</p>
<p>In their last two games, wins over the Blazers and on Friday against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a>, the Nets have stepped up defensively and closed the deal in crunch time. Johnson has demanded such toughness be a part of the Nets' DNA since training camp. The Nets showed it when it mattered against Portland, but not after something just short of a tongue-lashing at halftime.<br><br>"There was a sense, a spirit of urgency," said Johnson of how the Nets stepped up in quarters three and four on Sunday. "It was the type of spirit we just didn't have, especially midway through the first quarter and the rest of the first half. We visitied it at halftime. I told them I'd refuse to go crazy or use bad language, but I was really disappointed with our defense in the first half. But they responded. They really clamped down defensively in the second half and it was fun to watch."<br><br>Nets players, who during preseason discussed championship aspirations, held true to form during postgame. Williams is looking forward to the Knicks game not necessarily due to the rivalry, but because it's the Knicks who own that one-game lead over the Nets for first place. During an interview with the YES Network's Sarah Kustok piped over Barclays Center' sound system, Evans didn't buy into what's expected to be an emotional atmosphere that will feature more Nets fans than previous Knicks-Nets games in recent memory.<br><br>"We tryin' to win championships," Evans said. "We ain't worrying about being the best team in New York. It's just another game. We want to win championships."<br><br>Knicks forward and Brooklyn native <span>Carmelo Anthony</span>, fresh off his game-high 29 points in the Knicks' 121-100 spanking of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a>, is choosing to play off the emotions of the rivalry. <br><br>"If we don't get up for this game, then I don't know what games we'll get up for," Anthony said. "It's an inner-city game, New York vs. Brooklyn. To me, going back home, going back to my borough, playing my first game back there is a very special moment for myself."<br><br>Like most rivalries, the intensity is saved for the court with the buildup left for the fans. A peek at Nets New York Times beat writer Howard Beck's <a target="_blank" href="http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG7lk8u7JQtQkAy3JXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyYTVvZXFjBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA0g0NjVfODQ-/SIG=11k6d81fj/EXP=1353919420/**http%3a//twitter.com/HowardBeckNYT"><b>Twitter timeline</b></a> served as a hub for Knicks fans already proclaiming a hostile takeover. Brooklyn Nets vs. Manhattan Knicks will set the tone for both teams this week and dish out the most fun. Whose side are you on and why?</p>
<p><b>Game time:</b> 7 p.m. ET</p>
<p><b>TV:</b> TNT<br><i><br>Follow Jon Lane on Twitter: <b>@</b></i><a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/JonLaneNYC"><b>@JonLaneNYC</b></a></p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2012/11/26/3690676/new-york-knicks-vs-brooklyn-nets-nba-schedule-barclays-center-deron-williams-carmelo-anthonyJon Lane