Brooklyn and Manhattan: It's a rivalry now, oh yeah.

They know it's a rivalry now. Ever since the Nets moved to Brooklyn, there's been a debate among Knick fans and associated pundits about whether the Nets and Knicks are a legitimate rivalry. There was the silliness from Tyson Chandler about how the rivalry isn't real until the teams go through a hot playoff series or two. (As Walt Frazier said in a wise response, it's the fans who make a rivalry, not the players.) After the Nets fell six games behind the Knicks just before the New Year, the argument was the Nets simply weren't good enough to be rivals to the championship contender Knicks.

After the Nets surprised the Knicks in yet another classic battle between the two, there's less of that. Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez both noted, publicly, that they felt they "owed" the Knicks one after the December 19 debacle. Kris Humphries joyfully pointed out that he had asked Knick fans why they so quiet after the game. Then, J. R. Smith, that paragon of taste and proportion, tweeted how the Garden was rocking when Kanye West played it a few weeks ago. (Does anyone need a tutorial on what that's about?)

Now the pundits are re-thinking whether there is a rivalry. Well except for Alan Hahn (who got dissed by his MSG colleague Wally Szczerbiak for being in denial). Carmelo Anthony gets it, though

"It’s over. We don’t see them anymore, but it is the beginning of something that’s going to be here for a long, long time.‘’ Anthony said after the game. ’’These games that we play against Brooklyn are definitely going to be tough, hard battles and as a Knick, we definitely look forward to that challenge and look forward to playing them four times.’’

• Knicks know Nets are Atlantic threat - Ian Begley - ESPN New York
• If Knicks and Nets were offering playoff preview, we say, 'Yes, please' - Ken Berger - CBS Sports
• Nets vs. Knicks provides exciting hoops for big city - Neil Best - Newsday
• Knicks vs. Nets rivalry just heating up, but screwed up schedule has two teams done playing each other - Filip Bondy - NY Daily News
• Kris Humphries endures Kim Kardashian taunts from Knicks fans and J.R. Smith - Kristie Ackert - NY Daily News
• Knicks-Nets: A playoff duel worth waiting for - George Willis - New York Post
  
• Nets vs. Knicks: Brooklyn takes big steps forward in Atlantic race, Gotham rivalry - Sean Deveney - Sporting News
• Joe beats 'Bockers, says Nets still No. 1 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• Nets Beat Knicks: Highlights and Analysis (Video) - Al Trautwig, Alan Hahn & Wally Szczerbiak - MSG Network