I must say I
felt some consternation this afternoon when I heard one radio talker describe
last night's game and the rivalry that may be developing between the Knicks and
the Nets as ".....not like baseball (between the Yanks, Dodgers and
Giants) in the 50's as if that immediately made it something less in comparison
to those bygone days. People can minimize the impact all they want but this
rivalry, with its roots in a very different Brooklyn, a very different Manhattan
and a very different metro area will have a great place all its own in New York
sports and especially when both teams are good as they are now, it will be a
special place.
How people feel about basketball in
the city and the boroughs reflects how people identify themselves. People identify themselves as "from
Brooklyn, even though strictly speaking they're also New Yorkers. And for
years, when the Knicks were the only pro game in town Brooklyn fans embraced
them but the real basketball core of Brooklyn identified with guys from the
borough they called home; with Connie Hawkins and Billy Cunningham years ago
and with Chris Mullin more recently.
Last night was the first time
that generations of Brooklyn fans who
know the Dodgers and Jackie Robinson only as history to embrace a team of their
own and because of basketball's place in Brooklyn it's only fitting that the
major sports team that follows the Dodgers should be a basketball team. And
while the Knicks' fans cheers definitely added to the energy in the new
Barclay's Center, there was a solid contingent of Nets fans too. Some of them
may be just sick of the Knicks ineptitude. After all, they haven't won a title
since '73 and a fresh start may be what some fans are looking for. Other fans,
who think they know a thing or two about hoops may like the Nets team better
with its terrific center/point guar combination of Deron Williams and Brook
Lopez and its second star in Joe Johnson.
One thing is for certain Brooklyn fans have quickly warmed up to both
Reggie Evans and Gerald Wallace, two of the games best blue collar guys and agitators.
It's no accident that a loud cheer went up as the Nets expanded their advantage
in overtime and a frustrated Carmelo Anthony gave Wallace (who'd helped shut
him down for much of crunch time after a 35 point performance in the game) was
a great moment for the Nets and one that may indicate why the Nets may be ready
to provide a difficult challenge for the Knicks at this point. Even though some
of the Knicks' struggles can be chalked up to Jason Kidd's absence, there's
little question that the Nets are more ready for playoff, and therefore
championship basketball. Yes Joe Johnson needs to play better and yes they
probably need to get Marsh on Brooks ready to be part of a playoff rotation but
yesterday their grind it out style, the work of their blue collar guys, the
lack of quit in Lopez who had a 22 point 11 rebound performance in a game where
he would've quit last year when faced with Tyson Chandler's superb effort, are
all indications that this rivalry and Brooklyn's new team have nothing but
excitement ahead.
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