Who did the Knicks have a better/stronger rivalry with? The Brooklyn nets or New Jersey Nets?
November 11, 2025
Who did the Knicks have a better/stronger rivalry with? The Brooklyn nets or New Jersey Nets?
34 comments
lol
That’s my answer.
As someone from Jersey I don’t like the Brooklyn Nets so I’m glad we trashed them yesterday
what a loser team
No
Literally nobody ever talks about the Nets as a serious NYC team. People still talk about basketball as the only sport where NYC has only one team because everyone just straight up forgets the Nets are within the city limits.
Jersey was a grimmy team that always played hard. They were never the main rivals, but at least they felt like a team that played hard.
But after the KD super team bust????? They just became our G league.
Brooklyn Nephews…
They should move back to Jersey and rename themselves the Jersey Balls
I’ve been a hardcore Knick fan my whole life, never got the animosity towards the Nets.
We’ve never really been good at the same time they’ve been good so there’s never been much of a rivalry.
I save my vitriol for the Heat, Pacers, Bulls, and Celtics. And fuck Trae Young.
I didn’t hate them when they were in Jersey, I actually watched their games. Can’t stand them in Brooklyn and I only watch them now when they play the Knicks.
Neither
Nets should rip off the bandaid and just move to vegas
Brooklyn Nets because they signed KD and Kyrie but it’s still not a real rivalry during either era.
The Boston Celtics
Never been rivals period. Even when the Nets were good they were still irrelevant outside of their niche little areas.
The NJ Nets were fun. The Brooklyn Nets are soulless.
Neither. There is barely any overlap with both teams being good. If I have to pick I would say NJ
The Knicks and Nets have rarely been good at the same time going back to the ABA. It’s not a real rivalry tbh.
I always had a soft spot for the Nets when they were in Jersey – those early 2000s teams led by Kidd were legit and fun. Being in Jersey made them a bit less threatening I guess.
Anyway, screw them since they came to Brooklyn. They could win 5 straight titles and they’d be second tier to the Knicks. Should’ve stayed in Jersey.
Lmao
Nyets🫣
I mean, maybe because of proximity, but they’re not even a top 5 rival. Just off the top of my head, Pacers, Celtics, Heat, Bulls, and Sixers are all way bigger rivals. Nets werent an appealing matchup really until the Nets had KD/Kyrie and we started to get good at the same time.
I’ve been a Knicks fan my whole life but I never actively hated the Nets in NJ…. They were just like any other team… Brooklyn I don’t even think about
They don’t really have a rivalry. They were never good at the same time. Even now it’s been like 11 wins in a row for the Knicks and before this streak the nets were on a nice little steak
Brooklyn Bums. Jersey Nets were usually pretty good. I hate associating my borough with those clowns though
It’s The New Jersey Nets Without Question, That Team Has No Business Being In Brooklyn
Wait they moved?
They will always just be the New Jersey nets
In NJ they were just irrelevant. In Brooklyn they’re irrelevant and annoying.
There was never a time both teams were considered among the best in the NBA at the same time. They either both suck or one or the other is good.
The Knicks ruled the 90s with the Nets pretty much the same status as they are right now. After the Cinderella 1999 playoff team made the finals to lose to the Spurs. Both Knicks and Nets were back in mediocrity until Kidd arrived. Then it was Kidd and the Nets through the early 2000s. I’m old enough to remember the one playoff appearance of the Marbury Knicks vs Kidd Nets and it was a predictable sweep. Tim Thomas made the only memorable part of the series by calling Kenyon Martin a fugazi. After the Nets aged both teams made basketball forgettable in NYC. The Knicks had brief exciting time when Walsh came over but the Nets were in full “let’s get to Brooklyn” mode. The Knicks reached the second round in 2013 with an AARP squad and the Nets though “lets do that”. and they gave Boston four first round picks for an old Garnett, Pierce, and Terry. Two of the four picks turned into the Jays Tatum and Brown. Both teams were back in limbo. Knicks had some promise with Porzingis. Made draft errors like Knox over Bridges. Nets had no draft picks lol. Then Kenny Atkinson made a scrappy team reach the playoffs. Which attracted Durant and Kyrie who predictably trounced whatever the Knicks put together. Brunson came over during the end of the Irving/Durant time in Brooklyn. In the few games of the Brunson Knicks vs Durant Nets, Brunson was without Josh Hart and was still sharing major usage with Julius Randle.
So who was better rival? Brooklyn or New Jersey? You could argue NJ did better since they went to two NBA finals.
The Brooklyn Nets represent the gentrification of NYC. Represent nothing about the borough and have not even touched a 10th of the Dodger’s place in the Brooklynite’s collective memory. They’ve been in Brooklyn for 13 years now. I have not gone to a game and I live one bus ride away from Barclay’s.
Loll even w. KD, Kyrie and Harden on the Nets, the Knicks ran the city, never a rivalry.
I would say neither, let me preface this by saying my basketball fandom actually started off as a Nets fan in 1972, while I always liked Clyde and that era of Knicks basketball, the sport as a whole didn’t interest me until I began to receive free tickets to Nassau Coliseum events including Nets and Islander games, the ABA was much more exciting and the NBA team which I liked was actually the Buffalo Braves at the time, but both the Net and Braves would go out if the way to alienate me and other fans, so by the 78-79 season my fandom transferred fully to the Knicks.
With all that being said I never felt any rivalry towards the Knicks as a Nets fan and vice versa when I became a Knicks fan, they ran to Jersey and that’s when they fully lost me as a fan, the Nets had a chance to develop an identity as a Long Island team in the similar vein as the Islanders but they went to Jersey. That I feel hurt the Nets in the long run because I don’t ever think they fully embraced their Jersey identity. In the early 80’s when the Knicks were on and off the Nets were steady and could’ve took a bite into the Knicks fan base especially on the Island when the beat the Dr J led 76ers in the playoffs, however they were in the Meadowlands not even selling out Playoff games. The early 2000’s Nets would’ve had the best opportunity to bite into the Knicks fan base as the Knicks were falling into an abyss those finals runs would’ve been a Godsend to NY Basketball had the Nets been on Long Island, than add Vince Carter to the mix while the Knicks were in the Thomas era, the Nets could’ve really made inroads in NY, none of that happened because they were in Jersey with only half their hearts in the state.
The reason I bring up those playoff runs is because those would’ve been the part of the impetus to really develop a rivalry. The playoff series the Nets and the Knicks had in the 80’s and 90’s could’ve had much more meaning if you put NYC vs Long Island, than you would’ve had Knicks fans with some level of envy as the Nets made back to back finals appearances in the early 2000’s while the Knicks were entering the abyss, than that 2004 playoff series would’ve carried much more energy, and it was already hyped up but it would’ve been the first time the Knicks and Nets would have a playoff series that could approach the energy of Isles vs Rangers. That was stripped, the Nets in my opinion never fully embraced the New Jersey identity as the Devils have so the rivalry couldn’t develop like the Rangers vs Devils did, the Nets in Jersey were just a team that had a little more hype than say Knicks vs Mavericks due to the location but that was it.
My personal opinion of the Nets time afte time is now of pity, from the sale of Julius Erving to Bernard King’s personal issues forcing him away, those early 90’s Nets teams not becoming all they could be due to tragedy etc, maybe it’s because I was a fan of the Nets at one point but I just feel pity for them as a Knick fan now, even when they made those statements about “taking over NYC” when Durant and Irving came along, all I could say was “God Bless their hearts” because that chance sailed away when they bolted for the 77-78 season.
The first real heartbreak as a Basketball fan that I ever experienced was going from two championships in under 5 years with the Nets in the early -mid 70’s and the pure elation that I felt for a month when Nate Archibold was sent to the Nets from Kansas City, than October of that same year before the season started that was torpedoed by the sale of Dr J, than later that year the Archibold injury, fast forward to the relocation to Jersey. All I’ve seen from the Nets since was a bunch of promising starts, and hard stops, not a true rival like Indiana, Miami and Chicago, just a regional rival. I can’t really talk from that much of a high position because since I’ve become a Knick fan I’ve seen the same number of finals appearances as the Nets have in that time period, but the Nets just feel like they are there, not a real rival, just existing waiting for another boom-bust cycle.
There was a brief period when the Nets moved to Brooklyn where they had some hype, and I remember there being all this talk on social media about how it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Knicks fans to switch allegiances and nobody could blame them (Bill Simmons made this argument, I think). Around that time I remember things feeling heated, especially since the Nets were a better team for a bit, but it was never really a rivalry. The history just isn’t there.
The Nets had an actual identity when they were in Jersey. Sure our rivalry with them wasn’t anywhere close to the one we have with the Celtics or Heat but it was still there. It had a fun NY vs NJ angle to it.
Now they’re just “the other NYC basketball team” struggling for fans in their own backyard.
34 comments
lol
That’s my answer.
As someone from Jersey I don’t like the Brooklyn Nets so I’m glad we trashed them yesterday
what a loser team
No
Literally nobody ever talks about the Nets as a serious NYC team. People still talk about basketball as the only sport where NYC has only one team because everyone just straight up forgets the Nets are within the city limits.
Jersey was a grimmy team that always played hard. They were never the main rivals, but at least they felt like a team that played hard.
But after the KD super team bust????? They just became our G league.
Brooklyn Nephews…
They should move back to Jersey and rename themselves the Jersey Balls
I’ve been a hardcore Knick fan my whole life, never got the animosity towards the Nets.
We’ve never really been good at the same time they’ve been good so there’s never been much of a rivalry.
I save my vitriol for the Heat, Pacers, Bulls, and Celtics. And fuck Trae Young.
I didn’t hate them when they were in Jersey, I actually watched their games. Can’t stand them in Brooklyn and I only watch them now when they play the Knicks.
Neither
Nets should rip off the bandaid and just move to vegas
Brooklyn Nets because they signed KD and Kyrie but it’s still not a real rivalry during either era.
The Boston Celtics
Never been rivals period. Even when the Nets were good they were still irrelevant outside of their niche little areas.
The NJ Nets were fun. The Brooklyn Nets are soulless.
Neither. There is barely any overlap with both teams being good. If I have to pick I would say NJ
The Knicks and Nets have rarely been good at the same time going back to the ABA. It’s not a real rivalry tbh.
I always had a soft spot for the Nets when they were in Jersey – those early 2000s teams led by Kidd were legit and fun. Being in Jersey made them a bit less threatening I guess.
Anyway, screw them since they came to Brooklyn. They could win 5 straight titles and they’d be second tier to the Knicks. Should’ve stayed in Jersey.
Lmao
Nyets🫣
I mean, maybe because of proximity, but they’re not even a top 5 rival. Just off the top of my head, Pacers, Celtics, Heat, Bulls, and Sixers are all way bigger rivals. Nets werent an appealing matchup really until the Nets had KD/Kyrie and we started to get good at the same time.
I’ve been a Knicks fan my whole life but I never actively hated the Nets in NJ…. They were just like any other team… Brooklyn I don’t even think about
They don’t really have a rivalry. They were never good at the same time. Even now it’s been like 11 wins in a row for the Knicks and before this streak the nets were on a nice little steak
Brooklyn Bums. Jersey Nets were usually pretty good. I hate associating my borough with those clowns though
It’s The New Jersey Nets Without Question, That Team Has No Business Being In Brooklyn
Wait they moved?
They will always just be the New Jersey nets
In NJ they were just irrelevant. In Brooklyn they’re irrelevant and annoying.
There was never a time both teams were considered among the best in the NBA at the same time. They either both suck or one or the other is good.
The Knicks ruled the 90s with the Nets pretty much the same status as they are right now. After the Cinderella 1999 playoff team made the finals to lose to the Spurs. Both Knicks and Nets were back in mediocrity until Kidd arrived. Then it was Kidd and the Nets through the early 2000s. I’m old enough to remember the one playoff appearance of the Marbury Knicks vs Kidd Nets and it was a predictable sweep. Tim Thomas made the only memorable part of the series by calling Kenyon Martin a fugazi. After the Nets aged both teams made basketball forgettable in NYC. The Knicks had brief exciting time when Walsh came over but the Nets were in full “let’s get to Brooklyn” mode. The Knicks reached the second round in 2013 with an AARP squad and the Nets though “lets do that”. and they gave Boston four first round picks for an old Garnett, Pierce, and Terry. Two of the four picks turned into the Jays Tatum and Brown. Both teams were back in limbo. Knicks had some promise with Porzingis. Made draft errors like Knox over Bridges. Nets had no draft picks lol. Then Kenny Atkinson made a scrappy team reach the playoffs. Which attracted Durant and Kyrie who predictably trounced whatever the Knicks put together. Brunson came over during the end of the Irving/Durant time in Brooklyn. In the few games of the Brunson Knicks vs Durant Nets, Brunson was without Josh Hart and was still sharing major usage with Julius Randle.
So who was better rival? Brooklyn or New Jersey? You could argue NJ did better since they went to two NBA finals.
The Brooklyn Nets represent the gentrification of NYC. Represent nothing about the borough and have not even touched a 10th of the Dodger’s place in the Brooklynite’s collective memory. They’ve been in Brooklyn for 13 years now. I have not gone to a game and I live one bus ride away from Barclay’s.
Loll even w. KD, Kyrie and Harden on the Nets, the Knicks ran the city, never a rivalry.
I would say neither, let me preface this by saying my basketball fandom actually started off as a Nets fan in 1972, while I always liked Clyde and that era of Knicks basketball, the sport as a whole didn’t interest me until I began to receive free tickets to Nassau Coliseum events including Nets and Islander games, the ABA was much more exciting and the NBA team which I liked was actually the Buffalo Braves at the time, but both the Net and Braves would go out if the way to alienate me and other fans, so by the 78-79 season my fandom transferred fully to the Knicks.
With all that being said I never felt any rivalry towards the Knicks as a Nets fan and vice versa when I became a Knicks fan, they ran to Jersey and that’s when they fully lost me as a fan, the Nets had a chance to develop an identity as a Long Island team in the similar vein as the Islanders but they went to Jersey. That I feel hurt the Nets in the long run because I don’t ever think they fully embraced their Jersey identity. In the early 80’s when the Knicks were on and off the Nets were steady and could’ve took a bite into the Knicks fan base especially on the Island when the beat the Dr J led 76ers in the playoffs, however they were in the Meadowlands not even selling out Playoff games. The early 2000’s Nets would’ve had the best opportunity to bite into the Knicks fan base as the Knicks were falling into an abyss those finals runs would’ve been a Godsend to NY Basketball had the Nets been on Long Island, than add Vince Carter to the mix while the Knicks were in the Thomas era, the Nets could’ve really made inroads in NY, none of that happened because they were in Jersey with only half their hearts in the state.
The reason I bring up those playoff runs is because those would’ve been the part of the impetus to really develop a rivalry. The playoff series the Nets and the Knicks had in the 80’s and 90’s could’ve had much more meaning if you put NYC vs Long Island, than you would’ve had Knicks fans with some level of envy as the Nets made back to back finals appearances in the early 2000’s while the Knicks were entering the abyss, than that 2004 playoff series would’ve carried much more energy, and it was already hyped up but it would’ve been the first time the Knicks and Nets would have a playoff series that could approach the energy of Isles vs Rangers. That was stripped, the Nets in my opinion never fully embraced the New Jersey identity as the Devils have so the rivalry couldn’t develop like the Rangers vs Devils did, the Nets in Jersey were just a team that had a little more hype than say Knicks vs Mavericks due to the location but that was it.
My personal opinion of the Nets time afte time is now of pity, from the sale of Julius Erving to Bernard King’s personal issues forcing him away, those early 90’s Nets teams not becoming all they could be due to tragedy etc, maybe it’s because I was a fan of the Nets at one point but I just feel pity for them as a Knick fan now, even when they made those statements about “taking over NYC” when Durant and Irving came along, all I could say was “God Bless their hearts” because that chance sailed away when they bolted for the 77-78 season.
The first real heartbreak as a Basketball fan that I ever experienced was going from two championships in under 5 years with the Nets in the early -mid 70’s and the pure elation that I felt for a month when Nate Archibold was sent to the Nets from Kansas City, than October of that same year before the season started that was torpedoed by the sale of Dr J, than later that year the Archibold injury, fast forward to the relocation to Jersey. All I’ve seen from the Nets since was a bunch of promising starts, and hard stops, not a true rival like Indiana, Miami and Chicago, just a regional rival. I can’t really talk from that much of a high position because since I’ve become a Knick fan I’ve seen the same number of finals appearances as the Nets have in that time period, but the Nets just feel like they are there, not a real rival, just existing waiting for another boom-bust cycle.
There was a brief period when the Nets moved to Brooklyn where they had some hype, and I remember there being all this talk on social media about how it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Knicks fans to switch allegiances and nobody could blame them (Bill Simmons made this argument, I think). Around that time I remember things feeling heated, especially since the Nets were a better team for a bit, but it was never really a rivalry. The history just isn’t there.
The Nets had an actual identity when they were in Jersey. Sure our rivalry with them wasn’t anywhere close to the one we have with the Celtics or Heat but it was still there. It had a fun NY vs NJ angle to it.
Now they’re just “the other NYC basketball team” struggling for fans in their own backyard.