The rivalry between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks could be approaching an all-time high. The Nets added fuel to the fire when they traded former starting forward Mikal Bridges to Manhattan during the 2024 offseason. Bridges helped give the Nets the benefit of focusing on talent development and acquisition. Yet, Nets fans feel a certain way about his crosstown switch. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith gave Brooklyn fans more ammo with a comedic outcry in late August.
On Sunday, the WWE posted a viral clip of Smith receiving a Knicks Legacy Title belt, to which the analyst went on a tirade claiming that the "Knicks are coming":
"The Knicks are coming!"@stephenasmith got himself a @nyknicks Legacy Title! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/wbe39rdCPW
— WWE (@WWE) August 18, 2024
Smith got comedically emotional, claiming that New York has gone too long without a championship. He said the Knicks were "knocking on the door" and acknowledged several other Eastern Conference contenders standing in their way. One team he did not name though was the Brooklyn Nets.
Nets fans understand well that Stephen A. Smith is a Knicks enthusiast, which will likely never change. However, his hype for the Knicks has to have Nets fans clinching their teeth, ready to prove that the real New York team is across the bridge.
Nets embracing crosstown rivalry with Knicks
The Nets did not have a great showing in their matchups against the Knicks during the 2023-24 season. Brooklyn lost all of its regular season games against New York, but they did not go down without a fight.
On Jan. 23, the Nets lost by just five points, fueled by a 36-point performance from Mikal Bridges. Brooklyn may no longer possess Bridges' services, but they do have other weapons to combat New York's highly-touted squad in 2024-25.
Cam Thomas eventually eclipsed Bridges as the Nets' leading scorer during the season, and he looks to make more improvements for his upcoming campaign. Thomas will want to show Bridges and the rest of the Knicks what they are missing out on. Brooklyn will get a chance to show their might against New York in the first contest of their 2024 NBA Cup schedule.
Will the Nets eventually gain the favor of Stephen A. Smith and the rest of the city? Only time will tell.