Don't Look Now: Brooklyn Catching Up to Manhattan

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Been there, done that earlier in the season. But as the season progresses, the Nets and Knicks seem to be moving in opposite directions: the Nets are 8-2 in the last 10, the Knicks 5-5 and Brooklyn is only two games back in the standings. Moreover, Mikhail Prokhorov isn't spying on Deron Williams, unlike the Knicks owner and his star. (Always count on James Dolan to pull defeat from the jaws of victory... always.)

And it's getting noticed. Filip Bondy, Jason Gay and Alex Raskin all write Tuesday of how Brooklyn is sneaking up on Broadway. Says Bondy...

They are far from perfect or even guaranteed of anything but they are suddenly in this again. Tell everybody in London these Nets might be for real. They'll care. Everyone on earth is already obsessed with Brooklyn.

Gay makes a similar point, noting and adds that being the NBA's oldest team ever has a downside...

Age is taking its toll on Eighth Avenue. Meanwhile, all the winning in Brooklyn has put on extended hold reports about replacing P.J. Carlesimo or trading for Dwight Howard. The Nets took the day off on Monday and were understandably basking in their own success against the Pacers.

Now, even people inside the Nets offices in Brooklyn and East Rutherford are getting ready for next Monday afternoon when the two teams battle one more time.

• Nets gaining ground on Knicks in battle for Big Apple basketball supremacy - Filip Bondy - NY Daily News
• Psst, Brooklyn Is Back - Jason Gay - Wall Street Journal
• Knicks links: Nets challenging for first place - Alex Raskin - Star-Ledger
• Point: Knicks remain New York's best despite recent slump and Nets' surge - Tony Williams - Star-Ledger
• Counterpoint: Nets position themselves to overtake Knicks - Alex Raskin - Star-Ledger
• Knicks poll: Can the Brooklyn Nets become New York's best team? - Alex Raskin - Star-Ledger