Deron Williams is not caving to David Stern's request to tone down the Brooklyn Nets-New York Knicks rivalry. As the 2013 season approaches, players on both teams are trying to heat things up by starting a war of words. After players like JR Smith and Paul Pierce weighed in on who was really New York's basketball team, Deron Williams opted to now speak up.
Paul Pierce went on New York's 98.7 FM to declare his hatred for the Knicks and promise that it was time the Nets began to run the city. "I think the hate [for the Knicks] has grown a little. Everybody knows how much I disliked the Knicks when I was with the Celtics, but I think it's grown to another level. I think it's time for the Nets to start running this city."
That was the jumping point for a growing war in the city. JR Smith was the next to speak up, guaranteeing the Knicks would win the NBA championship in 2013. That caused Reggie Evans to simply "LOL" on Twitter after a fan asked him to comment on the statement. Jason Terry claimed the only championship the Knicks had a shot at winning was in street basketball.
"Maybe the Rucker Park Championship," Terry said, via Dime Magazine. "I don't know, not the NBA championship. I don't see how they could guarantee that, at all. I'm not buying it, so ... I mean, it's a bitter rivalry, you know it's going to be intense, and however they feel over there in that locker room they are guaranteed and entitled to feel that way but we don't want to see that happen on our watch."
Now it is Williams turn to speak up. The Nets point guard is backing up his teammate's statements, voicing his confidence in his newly re-tooled Brooklyn team.
"That's my teammate so I'm with him," Williams said, via ESPNNewYork.com. "Of course we want to run New York. The Knicks are our rival. I don't get into too much of the talking. We'll decide all that on the court. We have four games to play against them and then the playoffs so I'll let Paul do the talking and I'll just go out there and play."
There is plenty of debate going on right now as to who is the better team. Brooklyn made the biggest moves of the offseason, trading for Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Adding Terry on the bench and the Nets might see their words come true.
