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The Brooklyn Nets came out of their last game against the New York Knicks with perhaps one of their most impressive wins of the season. In front of a hostile Madison Square Garden crowd, the Nets trailed by as many as 21 points in the 3rd quarter, but Brooklyn’s dynamic duo of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, who combined for 56 points, proved to be too much, as the Nets came out with a 110-98 win over the Knicks.
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Kyrie Says Knicks Had ‘Good Chance’ to Ink Him, Kevin Durant
Though the Nets have been in Brooklyn for barely a decade, their rivalry has already blossomed into one of the more bitter ones in today’s NBA. This is mainly because in the summer of 2019, during the NBA’s free agency period, it was widely believed, that both Kyrie and KD were going to join the Knicks. In a dramatic turn of events, the two All-Stars did come to New York City. But it was to join the Nets, not the Knicks, which has greatly contributed to Knicks fans’ disdain for the two Nets stars. After the win, Irving confirmed that he and Durant were close to joining the Knicks in 2019 free agency.
“You know I think one of the funniest things that I see out there, probably from Knicks fans is just like that me and Kev [Kevin Durant] are perfect for each other because of the way that we respond on social media sometimes,” Irving told reporters after the Nets win over the Knicks via SNY.
“But I think it’s all in good fun and they [the Knicks] had a good chance at getting us, you know, back in free agency. But we just felt like we wanted to build here and just make our mark on this franchise. And you know, I don’t think we regret our decision, and we just want to live with really leaning on each other and making sure this is successful for us.”
Kevin Durant Chimes in on Nets, Knicks Rivalry
Durant messed around and got a triple-double, notching 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in the come from behind win over the Knicks. The Nets star took aim at Knicks fans after the win, saying that they are still salty about, him and Irving choosing the Nets over the Knicks. But KD says it is all in good fun and also thinks that rivalries are good for the game of basketball.
“We know how much Knicks fans don’t like us. Especially now, in this era of the Nets, with [Kyrie and I] not choosing the Knicks [in free agency]. It definitely adds something to the rivalry… imagine the tweets I’ve been getting since I decided to come to the Nets, from Knicks fans. They’re still p**** off about the stuff I say, and the little jabs here and there,” Durant said after the win per Yahoo Sports.
“But like I said, it’s always love in the streets when I see Knicks fans, it’s always love at the games, but it’s a good rivalry to be a part of. Everybody who steps in our building will realize how big these games are – it felt like a home game to us the last two times in [Madison Square] Garden, and it feels like a home game for the Knicks when they come to Barclays. It’s good to be a part of this, it’s a fun rivalry, and hopefully, it continues to build, and we get more and more animosity between the fan bases. It will be good for the game.”
After a 2021 season where they placed 4th in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks will not qualify for the playoffs this season. The Nets will have a chance to be the lone New York team in the playoffs if they can make it out of the play-in tournament.
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