New York Knicks Rivalry
A crosstown rivalry between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, spanning from the ABA–NBA merger to the present day.
The Knicks–Nets rivalry is a crosstown rivalry between New York City's two National Basketball Association (NBA) teams: the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. Both teams compete in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The New York Knicks were established in 1946 as one of the charter franchises of the NBA, and have been based at Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan since 1968. The Nets were established in 1967 as a member of the now-defunct American Basketball Association, and joined the NBA in 1976. They have been based at Barclays Center in Brooklyn since 2012, though have played in the New York metropolitan area their entire existence.
Quick Facts
- Leagues involved
- NBA
- Primary arenas
- Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden
- Geographic scope
- New York City Metropolitan Area (originally Tri-State)
- Status
- Active Intra-City Rivalry
Lore & Background
The rivalry began in 1976 when the Nets joined the NBA as part of the ABA–NBA merger. At the time, the team was known as the New York Nets and played at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in suburban Long Island. The team became the New Jersey Nets the following season when they relocated to suburban New Jersey, playing temporarily in Piscataway at Rutgers University before moving to Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford in 1981, their home until 2010. The Nets played their final two seasons in New Jersey at Prudential Center in downtown Newark. The rivalry became an intra-city series when the Nets relocated to Brooklyn in 2012. When the Nets played in New Jersey, the rivalry had several nicknames, including the Turnpike Classic, The Function at the Junction, Battle of the Hudson River, and The War Between the States. After the Nets' move to Brooklyn, due to the close proximity of the two teams and the overall histories of Brooklyn and Manhattan, media outlets have dubbed the rivalry the Battle of New York, Battle of the Boroughs, or Clash of the Boroughs. The two teams have met in the playoffs three times over the course of their history, with the most recent meeting in 2004.
Reader's Guide
The Knicks and Nets have generally been antagonistic to each other since the beginnings of the Nets franchise. The Nets were originally established in 1966 as a founding member of the ABA, to be named the New York Americans, and the league had intended for the team to play at the 69th Regiment Armory in Manhattan. The Knicks of the older NBA forced the Armory to back out three months before opening day, forcing the Nets to be left scrambling for a venue with opening day approaching, and it finally settled on the Teaneck Armory in Teaneck, New Jersey. Upon their transfer to the NBA from the ABA due to the ABA–NBA merger in 1976, the then New York Nets were cited for 'encroaching' on the Knicks' New York City territory at the Nassau Coliseum, and were forced to pay an encroachment fee to the Knicks. This fee, along with the NBA expansion fee, made it financially impossible for the Nets, who were the ABA champions in 1976, to retain superstar Julius Erving. The Nets were forced to sell Erving to the Philadelphia 76ers in order to meet their financial obligations. When the Nets decided to move back to the state of New Jersey in 1977, the Knicks once again became an obstacle and threatened to block the move because it would infringe on their exclusive territorial rights to New Jersey. The Nets responded by suing the Knicks on the basis that their actions violated anti-trust laws. The lawsuit was settled between the teams after the league and the state of New Jersey intervened, and the Nets agreed to pay another $4 million to the Knicks for the rights to move. Between 1977 and 2012, the Nets played in the state of New Jersey as the New Jersey Nets. During that time, the Knicks generally received more media coverage regardless of team records, despite both teams playing in the New York market. When the Knicks traveled to New Jersey to play the Nets, the arena was often evenly split between fan bases. The teams would meet in the first round of the 1983 NBA playoffs and 1994 NBA playoffs, with the Knicks easily defeating the Nets in both cases. The rivalry began to heat up in the early 2000s. With the trade of Stephon Marbury to the Suns for Jason Kidd, the Nets became the class of the Eastern Conference in 2001. The rivalry was again turned up a notch when New York native Stephon Marbury was traded to the Knicks in 2004.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the rivalry officially begin?
The competition solidified following the 1976 ABA-NBA merger, establishing regular matchups long before the franchise moved east. It evolved from a cross-state feud into a true intra-city battle when the Nets relocated to Brooklyn in 2012.
Where are games played between these teams?
Matchups alternate between Madison Square Garden in Manhattan and Barclays Center in Brooklyn. These iconic venues highlight the geographic divide that fuels the competitive spirit of this matchup.
How often do they play each other currently?
As active division rivals within the NBA, they face off multiple times during every regular season schedule. This frequency ensures the rivalry remains a consistent fixture for fans on both sides of town.
Did moving to Brooklyn change the dynamic?
Relocating from New Jersey to Brooklyn transformed a regional dispute into a direct intra-city conflict for local bragging rights. Being neighbors in the same city amplified the competitive tension between the two franchises.
More in Stadium & Culture
Elsewhere in Brooklyn Nets
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced