The names on the back of the jersey were hardly a deciding factor for a Knicks team without three starters in OG Anunoby (elbow), Randle (shoulder) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle).
The game that started off as a close match in the first half ended up being a one-sided victory for the Knicks in the last two quarters. The Knicks are used to winning, while the Nets constantly find unique ways to lose the game every night.
What a change of fortunes in New York.
The team traded away everything for Harden, but then quickly traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons.
The predicament the Nets are in can be attributed to their culture and the reason behind it. Following the chaos caused by Irving at Barclays Center, the Nets aimed to rebuild a more positive culture.
What do you think of the cultural aspect?
After a four-game stretch on the road, the Knicks came back to their home arena with only a brief period to recuperate before facing off against the Nets in an early game. The Nets were aiming to defeat the Hawks, who currently hold the 10th seed, and secure a spot in the Play-In Tournament.
Regarding the Knicks? They have returned. End of story.
Although the Nets are not focused on winning championships or achieving fame, the Knicks have the opportunity to make a deep playoff run. They are currently in contention for the Eastern Conference’s second seed, as long as they can win enough games and receive some support from other teams in the conference. With only 12 games left in the season, the Knicks have a chance to make a significant impact.
On Saturday afternoon, the Knicks emerged victorious against their cross-town rivals with a score of 105-93 at Madison Square Garden.
Irving was sent to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, and draft capital (Dinwiddie was later traded for Dennis Schroder). The Phoenix Suns acquired Durant in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and four draft picks.
Thibodeau praised his team’s mental fortitude and perseverance for being able to push through challenges and come out victorious. He credits this to their determination to continue pushing forward and willingness to do whatever it takes to secure a win. He also acknowledges the players’ commitment to putting the team first and giving their all on the court, which speaks volumes about their character.
Brooklyn is in a struggling state with 19 more defeats than victories and their best player unable to play. This summarizes their current situation accurately.
The opportunity at Barclays Center has resulted in Brooklyn’s championship window being sealed shut.
Despite being five games below the 10th seeded Atlanta Hawks, the Nets, the Knicks are currently tied with the Orlando Magic for the fourth seed and are just three games from second place in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks possess a culture of success that the Nets were unable to discover.
To sum up, the trio of Durant, Irving, and Harden have returned to their pursuit of championship victories, now playing for different teams in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Nets are once again struggling in the East due to a poorly assembled roster and their highest-paid player being sidelined with a back injury, which will heavily affect their budget with a million salary in the upcoming season.
The Nets are still searching for a top-tier star to take charge of their team and lift them out of their current state of mediocrity, while the Knicks have successfully found their own leader in Brunson.
(“The Nets have gone through a series of coaches, including Kenny Atkinson, Steve Nash, Jacque Vaughn, and possibly interim coach Kevin Ollie, while Tom Thibodeau has been having a season worthy of being named Coach of the Year at Madison Square Garden.”)
The Brooklyn Nets assembled a trio of Durant, Irving, and Harden, which was widely regarded as one of the most intimidating in the league. However, they abruptly disbanded this group.
In the 2019 offseason, the Nets successfully acquired top players Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, while the Knicks only signed Julius Randle to a three-year contract. This event became known as the “clean sweep” within a span of four years.
The current record against the Nets is 3 wins and 0 losses. The average margin of victory is 12 points. The last game of the season will be held at The Garden on April 12, which is the second-to-last game of the regular season.
The primary distinction between the two New York teams is still the culture they embody. The Nets, specifically, aimed to revive their culture by parting ways with both Durant and Irving last year.
In this current season, the only team being overwhelmingly defeated is the Nets, who have lost all of their four matches against the Knicks.
In addition, let’s not forget that Brooklyn’s key player Mikal Bridges often looks unhappy after the Nets lose, while his previous college teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo are advancing to the post-season.
Hart compared the situation to a popular SpongeBob meme, where Squidward watches SpongeBob and Patrick having a good time from his window. In this case, [Mikal] would be the equivalent of Squidward.