NetsDaily has learned that Mikhail Prokhorov --and his basketball-savvy No. 2, Dmitry Razumov-- will be at Barclays Center for both Games 3 and 4, filling a promise he made fans that he would attend Nets playoff games.
Prokhorov's decision to see and be seen in Brooklyn comes at a time when the US and Russia are in the midst of a mounting crisis over Ukraine. The former Russian presidential candidate is likely to be asked about the crisis.
Prokhorov has not attended a Nets game since the team visited London to play the Hawks in mid-January. It was there that Prokhorov said he never panicked as the Nets season seemed to be spiraling into mediocrity or worse, never thought of firing Billy King or Jason Kidd, never thought of blowing it up.
There's been speculation that he hasn't dropped in because he didn't want to answer questions about the mounting crisis. Prokhorov is former Russian presidential candidate having run against Vladimir Putin in 2012, as well as one of the country's economic elite. Razumov had attended several of the Nets final regular season games, sitting in the so-called "Hollywood Seats" next to the Nets bench.
Prokhkorov attended the Nets first round games against the Bulls last April. At one of the games, Prokhorov addressed the crowd at half-court, the only time he's done that in his four years as owner.