Both the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks had a disappointing ending to their respective seasons this year. The Knicks were eliminated by the lower-seeded Atlanta Hawks in five games in the first round, while the Nets lost to the lower-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in the second round.
Despite disappointing exits in the NBA playoffs, both the Nets and Knicks have promising futures to look forward to. For the Nets, they have three of the best players in the NBA in Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden and will have other free agents lining up to play with them in hopes of winning a championship. For the Knicks, they have started to become an attractive destination with last year’s Most Improved Player Julius Randle, and reigning NBA Coach of the Year, Tom Thibodeau. Not to mention playing in one of the biggest markets in the NBA.
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Kevin Durant Sounds off on the Nets and Knicks Rivalry
When Durant was set to hit free agency in 2019, many suspected that if he were to leave the Golden State Warriors it would be to come to New York to play for the Knicks. He and his agent Rich Kleiman were starting to build his brand and image off the court and what better place to do that than the media capital of the world?
However, KD threw everyone for a loop when he signed with the Nets in free agency. Even though at the time the Nets were clearly the better team as they were fresh off a playoff appearance and had the pieces to build a competing team. However, now the Knicks are good too. And with both New York teams being top 5 in the Eastern Conference, KD knows that the battle for New York is official in full swing.
“It was fun, man. Especially with the Knicks playing and us playing. We got two teams in the playoffs. Knicks/Nets fans got a little beef right now because both teams are solid. We got the MSG/Barclays beef in the city,” Durant said of the energy in New York City on the latest episode of Out of Office. “It just felt like a lot of energy, man. You look in our stands, you see superstars there. Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Cranston. Travis Scott. You see that energy floating around our building… What’s next year going to be like? It’s cool to be around that, to help build that.”
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KD Analyzes His Game 5 Performace Against Bucks
In Game 5 against the Bucks Durant put the Nets on his back with the series tied at 2-2. KD dropped 49 points to go along with 17 rebounds and 10 assists and led the Nets to a victory and a 3-2 lead in the series. With the stakes as high as they were, and the Nets being hobbled, fans began to pen Durant’s Game 5 performance against the Bucks as one of the best of his career. The two-time NBA Finals MVP, however, does not agree.
“(Game 5) was not the biggest game of my life,” Durant said. “I understood from the outside looking in, it was such a big thing to people… people wanted to see a show.”
Both the Nets and the Knicks are hoping to have deeper playoff runs in 2021 than they did in 2020. If they want that hope to manifest, their respective front offices will have to make the right moves in this coming free agency period.
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Kevin Durant Gets Real About the ‘Beef’ Between the Nets & Knicks