“Lets Go Knicks” chants rain down in the Barclays Center

Written by William Lee

Tonight’s much hyped match-up between the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets before the season began, wasn’t exactly the marquee match-up we all hoped it would be. Instead it was a match-up between the two bottom feeding teams of the Eastern Conference (which is saying a lot with only two teams over .500 in the Eastern Conference). Each coming into tonight’s game with 13 losses, it was a must win atmosphere for both teams, but it was the Knicks who came out desperate. The Knicks blew out the Nets, looking much like the Knicks’ of last year, where they made an NBA record breaking three point field goals, knocking down 16 from beyond the arc, cruising to a 113-83 victory over their inter-borough rival.

Andrea Bargnani as usual, got off to a great start for the Knicks in the first quarter, going a perfect 4/4 from the field for nine points, and making his presence felt on the defensive end with two blocks. On the very first possession Bargnani blocked Brook Lopez, and then immediately knocks down a jumper on offense. Bargnani at the 8:44 mark of the first quarter again blocks Lopez, which lead to an Iman Shumpert three on the fast break. The Knicks went on a 12-2 run, capped off by a Carmelo Anthony three, to give the Knicks a 24-10 lead. This prompted the first “Let’s Go Knicks!” chants at the Barclay Center. More “Let’s Go Knicks!” chants were heard on the next Knicks’ possession when Bargnani completed an and one. The Knicks lead 29-23 after the first quarter, finishing 70.6% from the field, with four threes. The Nets shot 36% from the field, but kept themselves in the game with nine offensive rebounds, leading to ten second chance points. Brook Lopez had seven of the offensive rebounds himself. Lopez and Joe Johnson scored eight points each in the first quarter, receiving very little help, with the rest of the team combining for less than eight points combined. Continue reading →