Led by their star player, Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks hold the third spot in the East. Although they lost Jeremy Lin, they were able to look past that by acquiring veteran Jason Kidd and later signing Rasheed Wallace. Many people were skeptical about how successful the Knicks would be without their star power forward, Amar’e Stoudemire, who was told would be out for several weeks due to a knee injury. Despite Stoudemire’s absence, the team started the season 6-0 and still holds an impressive record of 9-4.After losing the first round to the Miami Heat in the playoffs, the Knicks have come out this season on fire.Who would’ve predicted that both the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets would be serious threats in the East this season? Both teams have an overall record of 9-4, and hold the second and third best record in the East.
Anthony, who was criticized for not sharing the ball enough, has proven critics wrong. Not only is he playing a more team oriented game, but he is also still playing ‘Melo’ ball, averaging 25.6 points per game (which is 3rd in the NBA this season). Leading his team to victories and keeping up his numbers, Anthony is starting to get looked at as an MVP candidate.
The Nets, formerly known as the New Jersey Nets have also started their season strong. Their best move might have been moving to Brooklyn, where the city is more alive, especially the fans. Not only did the location of the team chang, but they also picked up some big players to help elevate their program. One of those key players is Joe Johnson, who was picked up from the Atlanta Hawks.
Johnson was a star player, with a great deal of potential in Atlanta, and is continuing to play to his potential in Brooklyn, as he is averaging 15.8 points so far this season. Still, he has not been the only Net putting on a show this season. His teammates, Deron Williams and Brook Lopez, have also been putting up spectacular numbers. With Williams averaging 16.7 points and 8.9 assists, and Lopez averaging 19.2 points, it seems like these three are looking to take their Nets further than just the regular season.
Last year, 13 games into the NBA season, both teams held a losing streak. The Nets had a horrifying record of 3-10 and the Knicks had a record of 6-7. The two teams have completely changed this year. Both teams are most certainly putting on for their city, and brining some basketball excitement to New York. Their first match-up against one another was nothing less than a much anticipated New York rival. It was like watching the Giants and the Jets play for a super bowl ring.
The two teams played four quarters of good basketball, which was then taken into overtime, ending in a 96-89 Nets win. Both teams will meet on the same stage again on December 11. Before the regular season began, the Knicks were picked to be the best team in New York. But after their first showdown, many people are beginning to change their pick…HELLO BROOKLYN!
