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The Knicks and Nets meet tonight at Madison Square Garden for the first time since playing a thrilling affair nearly three months ago. It might as well have happened last season.
The interborough rivalry appeared on stronger footing than ever. The Nets returned as title favorites with the most talented team in the NBA. The Knicks returned a young core and an elite coach, fresh off a playoff berth and one of the team’s most inspiring seasons in the past two decades.
On Nov. 30, Barclays Center welcomed a record sellout of 18,081 fans as the Nets pulled out a controversial win, 112-110, clinched by James Johnson’s free throws with 2.2 seconds left. James Harden had 34 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Kevin Durant had 27 points and nine assists. Derrick Rose had 16 points and nine assists. Finally, the rivalry felt as if it had legs.