The Knicks still run New York after recent success and win over the Brooklyn Nets
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
New York, NY (PSF)—The New York Knicks continue their winning streak to seven games after their 142-118 blowout victory over the Brooklyn Nets. These new look teams seem to be going in two different directions, which is a new trend over recent years. The Knicks who have been the butt end of jokes for the entire NBA for almost two decades, are putting together a rare great season. This helps put the emphasis that the Nets will always be the little brother to the Knicks.
In the 2019 offseason there was an unmeasurable wave of jokes and memes because of a narrative that stars didn’t want to go to the Knicks. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving fueled this narrative as they fooled everyone and went to the Nets instead of the Knicks. Most criticism came from Knicks fans as these loyal fans wonder why the New York Knicks cannot recruit stars. It happened again this recent offseason with Donovan Mitchell as he was rumored to go to the Knicks, but ultimately got traded to the Cleveland Claviers. Now after signing Jalen Brunson to a 4-year/$104 million contract, the Knicks are back while the Nets crumbled trying to make a dream superteam work.
The season didn’t start amazing for the Knicks, as notable players were not played by Head Coach Tom Thibodeau like Cam Reddish, Derrick Rose and Evan Fournier. The team seemed to be underachieving early on which resulted in fans and media calling for Thibodeau job, but with recent success that has gone away.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The Knicks with Josh Hart after the trade look formidable with new shooting and a good defense that got better with Mitchell Robinson back from injury. The Nets were the constant talk of the NBA as championship favorites because of Durant and Irving causing so much media buzz. At one point they even had James Harden as their big three, but the terrible handling by the front office had them trading for Ben Simmons only for Ben to become a shell of himself. There no nice way to put this, but the Nets ruined a perfect opportunity for a championship by listening too much to their players. Hiring Steve Nash as a first time Head Coach is one of these examples. Not being strict with Kyrie when he was making constant dumb moves or listening to players trade demands when they’re on contract.
Now after a failed three to four-year project the Nets are left with a roster with some pieces like Cam Thomas, but championship hopes are gone. It would seem that the narrative shift from the Knicks being an incompetent franchise, to the Nets now wearing the crown of an organization that has no idea what they’re doing. Don’t get me wrong it’s nice to see the Knicks good again but there is still work to do. RJ Barret who signed an extension after the Mitchell news seemed to regress and Knicks fans want more out of him. Also, if it’s possible to reach higher in standing that would help in a playoff run. They are currently a 5th seed in the East right below the Cavs and they would play each other if the standing stays the same come playoff time.
A matchup between these two would create a storyline for Donovan Mitchell and a team that was destined to land him. If the Knicks want to have a shot against the Cavs and get out of the first round they would need to at least place 4th in the standings and get homecourt advantage. While Knicks fans can have hope and aspirations for their team, the Nets seemed to revert back to their “little brother” stigma that they have in New York.
