The narrative for the basketball landscape in New York City lately has centered around the Knicks and Nets heading in different directions.
The Knicks are under new management with team president Steve Mills and general manager Steve Perry. On the court, the trade of Carmelo Anthony signaled the official beginning of the Kristaps Porzingis era.
Brooklyn is in year two of a massive rebuild which has caught the attention of everyone around the league.
Where the Knicks have struggled with cohesion, the Nets have thrived. For proof of this, all you would have to do is take a quick look at the standings.
Coming into Friday night’s matchup at Madison Square Garden, the Nets were 3-2 and coming off of an impressive home win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Meanwhile, not only were the Knicks looking for their first win of the season –- they were also looking to silence any whispers of their team heading in the wrong direction.
There was plenty to feel encouraged about for Knicks fans, starting with the play of point guard Frank Ntilikina.