The Brooklyn Nets are in the midst of a disastrous start to the season, but playing against their top rival could provide a spark for at least a game.
On Sunday, the Nets will be facing the New York Knicks for the first time this season. After having some thrillers against New York early last season, the Nets are looking to find an early-season spark against their crosstown rival again this season.
One of the top expected contenders in the East this season, the Knicks come into this matchup as heavy favorites, which makes perfect sense. On the other side, the Nets are already expected to be in the race for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, and losing Cam Thomas for a few weeks has only made that expectation a likelier reality.
Over the first couple of weeks of the season, the Nets have mostly struggled to keep games close, and their few close games have mostly gone the wrong way. However, it appeared the Nets were starting to turn things around, interestingly enough after they lost Thomas in Indiana on Wednesday night.
With the win against the Pacers and a competitive first half against the Detroit Pistons in its NBA Cup opener on Friday night, Brooklyn appeared to have turned a corner as it adapted to Thomas’ absence. Instead, the Nets’ second half against Detroit went just like most of their others this season, with the hopeful contenders in Detroit making quick work of the Nets after halftime.
Now, heading into Madison Square Garden for the first time this season, the Nets are hoping that the obvious elements of the rivalry will make the difference. Over the past few years, more layers have been added to the Nets-Knicks rivalry, most notably the blockbuster trade that sent Mikal Bridges to the Knicks for a haul of future draft picks in 2024.
Although the Nets have been in tank mode for the past couple of years, there will always be a chip on the shoulder of Brooklyn when it faces the Knicks. Being in a Knicks town and consistently being considered the second team in the city, there will always be a bit of extra motivation for Jordi Fernandez’s squad, particularly the players who have been around for multiple years.
While it will be an uphill battle for the Nets to even keep this game competitive, the added element of the rivalry will be a factor that should favor the underdog.
