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Brooklyn Nets' Deron Williams, center passes the ball in front of Portland Trail Blazers' Ronnie Price, right, in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at the Barclays Center, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, in New York. The Nets won 98-85. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams) |
New York, New York: Knicks, Nets meet Monday
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer /
November 26, 2012
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Former Nets coach Lawrence Frank said the series always lacked the competitiveness to be a true rivalry, because the Knicks beat the Nets for so many years but then almost never did when Kidd was there from 2001-08. Now, he says, it could finally get there with both teams on a similar upward path.
‘‘It’s good for the metropolitan area when both teams are doing well, it just hasn’t happened a whole lot when both teams were good at the same time. They've kind of taken turns,’’ said Frank, now coaching Detroit. ‘‘Now that they’re both highly competitive, I think it’s good for the area.’’
Even the Knicks acknowledge the rapid rise of their rivals, Anthony saying he’s watched their games and gotten goose bumps when fans chant ‘‘Brook-lyn! Brook-lyn!’’ They will get a good look at the Nets with the teams meeting three times over the next 3½ weeks, twice in Brooklyn.
Perhaps those other ones will feel like regular games for everyone, as the Knicks say they are. For now, the first one isn’t to the team that now shares their city.
‘‘In an 82-game schedule, the way I look at it, every game’s important, but there are those special games, you know what I mean?’’ Yormark said. ‘‘And tomorrow I think is one of those special games. It means a little bit more.’’
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