by Scott
I loved the ‘Battle of the Boroughs’ last season. Every one of those games had a Playoff-like atmosphere and you could tell that both sides were playing for something more than just another number in the win column. But the biggest thing they were playing for were bragging rights, because both the Nets and Knicks wanted to walk away with written proof that they were the best team in New York.
While the regular season series ended up in a tie, the Knicks advanced to the second round of the Playoffs and the Nets got bounced out in the first round to a Derrick Rose-less Chicago Bulls, so I guess you could say that the Knicks got the best of the Nets last season.
But the Nets made big changes to their roster this off-season, adding some championship experience in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry. And now, many expect the Nets to officially take over New York by posting a better record in the 2013-2014 and, consequently, nabbing a higher seed than the Knicks.
But all this is doing is pissing off the Knicks. Yes, they didn’t make the huge moves that the Nets did, but they still have one of the best scorers in the NBA in Carmelo Anthony, as well as a good supporting case of Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire, J.R. Smith and Andrea Bargnani. And no matter what happens next season, Raymond Felton believes that, no matter how good the Nets are, the Knicks will still be New York’s team, via Stefan Bondy:
Knicks point guard Raymond Felton spit back in an interview with Slam Magazine.
“Especially with Paul Pierce talking all this junk, each and every week, saying something on some show, some radio show or whatever, it’s just boosting the rivalry, without a doubt,” Felton said. “Like I say to people all the time, I don’t care what Brooklyn do, I don’t care if they have a better record than we do this year, we still got ‘New York’ on our chest. We’re still New York’s team, regardless of what Brooklyn do. It just is what it is.”
Unfortunately for the Nets, Raymond is right, unless, that is, the Nets go 73-9 and sweep their way to the NBA Finals.
But I think we all know that won’t happen.
