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Broook-lyn, Broook-lyn. The chant filled Madison Square Garden Monday afternoon as the Nets piled it on the Knicks. How sweet it was!
The Nets returned home from London to take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden for a MLK Day matinee. The good news for the Nets, prior to the game, was that their start point guard Deron Williams was ready to return to the lineup. He wasn't starting, as Jason Kidd wanted to ease him back into the rotation, but he did come off the bench with a 30-minute cap.
Last time these two teams played, the Nets lost by 30 points at home against a struggling Knicks teams. New York, however, entered the game riding a three-game losing streak, while Brooklyn had entered having won six of their last seven games. And, today, the Nets returned the favor, led by Joe Johnson and Andray Blatche, as they blew out the Knicks in front of their home crowd, 103-80. At game's end, with the Knick fans exiting, the Brooook-lyn chant broke out in the upper level, engulfing the renovated Garden.
Even NBA.com took note...
. @BrooklynNets chants rang through MSG as they dominated @nyknicks 103-80. Dray Live put on a show w/ 19p & 12r, NYK have lost 4 straight.
— NBA (@NBA) January 20, 2014
Nets get off to a 14-10 lead, when Deron Williams checked in with 5-plus minutes remaining in the first. His first possession, he drive to the basket for a score. Shaun Livingston continued his strong play on both sides of the floor, turning a Raymond Felton blocked jumper into a fast break dunk.
Joe Johnson, once again, had another strong first quarter. He scored 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, hitting two threes. As a team they shot 52 percent in the first and carried a 27-16 lead after one. They forced the Knicks to turn the ball over seven times in the quarter.
Brooklyn did have trouble dropping some open looks early, especially from beyond the arc. They hit just 6-of-17. But Johnson continued to have the hot hand in the second quarter -- he scored 20 points in the half, the third time in the last four games.
“He’s been telling me: ‘Be ready. It’s coming to you early, every game,’ ” Johnson said of Jason Kidd. “It’s not necessarily for me to score, but if the double team doesn’t come, he knows I’ll make the right play. And early in games, when they do come, we’re making them pay, and guys just get wide-open shots.”
The Nets defense also stepped up, was really active. They held the Knicks to 33.3 percent shooting and forced 11 turnovers, carrying a 52-38 lead at the half.
The Nets continued to roll in the second half. The third wasn't necessarily a pretty quarter, but they still laid on the defensive effort and held the Knicks to just 17 points in the third. Brooklyn had a 14-point lead heading into the fourth, and Kidd was able to run Williams out there to start the quarter against the Knicks' second unit.
From there, the Nets built up a 21-point lead and put the game to rest. Blatche hit his open jumpers, Williams moved really, really well, Mirza Teletovic stretched the offense; it was great ball movement.
Williams finished with 13 points and three assists in 27 minutes, while Johnson had a team-high 25 points on 8-of-15 shooting, while Andray Blatche went for a double-double, 19 points and 12 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony scored 26 points for the Knicks.
The Toronto Raptors loss this afternoon moves the Nets to within 2.5 games of the Atlantic Division lead.
For more on the Knicks, see: Posting and Toasting
- Nets at Knicks - January 20, 2014 - Box score - NBA.com
- Game Thread: Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks, 2:30 PM - NetsDaily
- 2nd Half Game Thread: Nets at Knicks - NetsDaily
- Game Highlights (Video) - NBA.com
- Steal and Dunk (Video) - NBA.com
- D-Will Tear Drop (Video) - NBA.com
- Melo And-one (Video) - NBA.com
- Blatche on Nets' win over Knicks at MSG (Video) - Sarah Kustok - YES Network
- Johnson discusses Nets' win over Knicks (Video) - YES Network
- Post Game Plus: Nets top Knicks, 103-80 (Video) - Bob Lorenz - YES Network
- Kidd on Brooklyn's big victory over Knicks (Video) - YES Network
- VIDEO: Shaun Livingston With The Swat & Slam - The Brooklyn Game
- VIDEO: The "Brooklyn" Chant Rung Through Madison Square Garden In Nets Blowout Win Over Knicks - The Brooklyn Game
- A glaring lapse on D, a wide-open 3, a disbelieving Melo: The Knicks’ loss to the Nets in a nutshell (Video) - Dan Devine - Yahoo! Sports
- Nets 103, Knicks 80: "Everything is terrible." - Seth Rosenthal - Posting and Toasting
- Nets Return From London With Rout of Knicks - AP
- NBA: Brooklyn Nets recovering promise of original hopes - Brian Windhorst - ESPN
- Rapid Reaction: Nets 103, Knicks 80 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Joe Johnson, All-Star reserve? - - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Nets get payback, Knicks must learn from it - Ohm Youngmisuk- ESPN New York
- Starting Five: D-Will better as reserve? - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Rapid Reaction: Nets 103, Knicks 80 - Ian Begley - ESPN New York
- Sources: Beno Udrih wants trade - Ian Begley - ESPN New York
- Carmelo Anthony says Knicks 'didn't even fight' - Ian Begley - ESPN New York
- Felton slams his own performance - Ian Begley - ESPN New York
- Opening Tip: Can Knicks win more than 37? - Ian Begley - ESPN New York
- If Melo's smart, he's leaving New York - Ian O'Connor - ESPN New York
- Nets Continue Surge, Clobbering Knicks at Garden - Scott Cacciola - New York Times
- Johnson’s Versatility Is Driving the Nets - NYTimes.com - Andrew Keh - New York Times
- Joe Johnson sets tone in first half as Nets embarrass Knicks in front of MSG crowd - Peter Botte - New York Daily News
- Deron Williams returns from injury and helps Brooklyn Nets off the bench - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- Knicks’ Raymond Felton says he played like ‘crap’ in blowout loss to Nets - Mitch Abramson - New York Daily News
- Jason Kidd proving his worth with Brooklyn Nets after rough start - Mitch Lawrence - New York Daily News
- Knicks' Carmelo Anthony certainly has the look of someone who wants out - Frank Isola - New York Daily News
- Beno Udrih requests a trade, Knicks trying to accommodate veteran guard - Peter Botte & Frank Isola - New York Daily News
- Knicks put up a little resistance in blowout home loss to Nets - Al Iannazzone - Newsday
- Carmelo Anthony says he'll be patient and hope - Al Iannazzone - Newsday
- Andray Blatche: It's simple payback - Rod Boone - Newsday
- Nets rout Knicks at the Garden - Andy Vasquez - The Record
- Nets notes: Deron Williams comes off the bench in return - Andy Vasquez - The Record
- Ominous cloud hanging over Woodson, the Garden - Steve Popper - The Record
- Knick notes: Home is not sweet for New York - Steve Popper - The Record
- Knicks destroyed by Nets in latest Garden embarrassment - Marc Berman - New York Post
- Melo: ‘We didn’t fight’ in loss to Nets - Marc Berman - New York Post
- Anthony: ‘No problem’ with Garnett after cereal spat - Marc Berman - New York Post
- Frust-Ray-ting Felton’s struggles continue in defeat - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Nets’ Blatche gaining confidence - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Nets’ Johnson credits Kidd with point surge - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- Deron: ‘I don’t care if I come off the bench’ - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- Knicks teetering on the verge of rebellion against Woodson - Mike Vaccaro - New York Post
- The Blowout Borough: Nets 103, Knicks 80 (GAME GRADES) - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
- The Evening After: Brooklyn Dominates Manhattan - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
- Nets get revenge, rout the Knicks - Jason Schott - Brooklyn Fans
- Nets, Knicks reverse roles - Greg Hrinya - Examiner
- Joe Johnson Leads Nets to Blowout Win Over Manhattan Knicks - Jonah Mars - From Russia with Dunk
- Deron Williams returns; Nets get revenge on Knicks with a 103-80 win - Nets Takeover
- Carmelo Anthony says he has no problem with Kevin Garnett - Dan Feldman - ProBasketballTalk
- No Coincidence Nets’ Defense Has Improved Since Brook Lopez Went Down - Steve Lichtenstein - WFAN