New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets News 2013: Rivalry In The Big Apple To Reach New Heights In The 2013-14 NBA Season
When the Nets franchise arrived in Brooklyn last season, NBA fans anticipated bad blood between the newly transplanted team and the New York Knicks. There might not have been much of a rivalry to speak of last year, but the Nets' new acquisitions could easily change that this upcoming season.
Metta World Peace, who will be New York-bound next season, fired the opening salvo when he tweeted "Where Brooklyn at?" shortly after agreeing to a two-year deal with the New York Knicks.
An admitted Brooklyn Nets fan, World Peace expressed his intention to play with the Knicks or the Nets after he was amnestied by the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Knicks successfully nabbed the defensive-minded forward. The Nets never made an attempt to acquire the Queens native.
"It's all about the players," World Peace told USA Today when asked about his decision to sign with the Knicks instead of the opportunity to dominate in China. "The team is amazing. I'm excited to play and hustle. That's all it's about right now. It has nothing to do with New York the city. The only thing that's important is those players that I will be joining and touching the hardwood with. That's all that's important."
The New York Knicks were knocked out in the second round of the playoffs last season. Will the World Peace signing be enough for them to have a shot at the title, and, more importantly, keep themselves ahead of their rivals the Brooklyn Nets?
The Brooklyn Nets underwent a major facelift this off-season. Not only did they hire Jason Kidd as new coach, they also acquired veterans that definitely made them one of the teams to watch out for in the 2013-14 NBA season.
The Nets acquired veterans Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry in a blockbuster deal with the Boston Celtics before the 2013 NBA Draft. Acquiring the three veterans created an intimidating core for the team, which also includes superstar guard Deron Williams, All-Star shooting guard Joe Johnson, and the promising Brook Lopez.
Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge witnessed how Pierce and Garnett gave the Celtics their 17th banner. The former NBA star said that he will not be surprised if the two veterans help the Nets win an NBA title in the near future, reiterating that both Pierce and Garnett still have a lot of gas left in their tanks.
Acquiring Pierce, Garnett, and Terry arguably made the Nets the second-best team in the Eastern Conference, at least on paper.
The Nets solidified that notion further after adding another key piece to the puzzle by signing defensive-specialist Andrei Kirilenko, while also retaining Andray Blatche. Both players were two of the hottest commodities in the free agency market this summer.
Making these moves will cost both teams extra millions in luxury tax next season, especially the Nets; they are way over the threshold. But forget about the luxury tax, the Big Apple rivalry is definitely one of the best things to watch out for next NBA season.