Preseason fixture between New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets proves to be more than just practice – NBA Feature
Wednesday October 24th was a special day in the NBA preseason as it saw the New York Knicks play against their city rivals, the newly improved and rejuvenated Brooklyn Nets. Ever since the Nets moved from New Jersey into their brand new $ 1 billion arena in Brooklyn, there have been comparisons about which team is better and who will finish with a better standing next season. But both teams are more interested in finding out which team has the loyalty of the fans of one of the biggest cities in the United States of America. Because, no matter how big New York may be, it only has room for one team to become the alpha team and represent the fans of the city.
Having said that, the Knicks faced the Nets is a preseason fixture in a neutral venue, the Nassau Coliseum with the Nets wearing the home white jersey. And it proved to be one of the best games of the preseason, with both teams fighting hard to land the victory and take the psychological lead heading into the regular season. Regulation time was not enough to decide the game, and both teams played one session of overtime where the Knicks eventually managed to pick up a 97-95 victory.
Deron Williams was on point for the Nets, scoring 22 points in the game but dishing out only 2 assists in the process. None of the other starters managed more than ten points on a night when the Nets played with their core starting squad. Marshon Brooks came off the bench to score 11 points and 6 rebounds, where as Tyshawn Taylor finished with 10 points. The Knicks lost centre Tyson Chandler in the early minutes of the game when he suffered a knee injury in a collision with Gerald Wallace. However, they recovered from the loss and Carmelo Anthony scored 15 points and 9 rebounds, where as the back court duo of Ronnie Brewer and Raymond Felton combined for 27 points and 6 assists. Chris Copeland scored 16 points off the bench and Mychel Thompson added 13 points for the Knicks. Argentinean acquisition Pablo Prigioni added 5 points, 11 assists and 4 rebounds as he played a big role in the Knicks victory.
On the night, the Knicks looked like the better team as their new backcourt players did their job well and the team got some good support from the bench. The Nets, on the other hand, were inconsistent and their starters failed to deliver, leaving Williams with no option but to score himself rather than doing the regular playmaking work. Brooklyn had a 47-37 advantage in rebounds, but the Knicks shot better from the field and had a 26-8 advantage in assists.
The game proved to be a fruitful affair as it got the two teams charged up ahead of the regular season and officially started the Knicks-Nets rivalry for supremacy in New York. Although the result of the game does not matter as it was only a preseason fixture, the game was just a trailer of what is to come in the regular season, when these two teams will battle against each other to be named as the 'Alpha' team in New York.
The Knicks have a long history in New York and are not looking to give up their position, but the Nets have arrived with a big bang and will be looking to play well on the court to complement their offseason moves.
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