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Brooklyn Nets veterans hoping for big noise from big crowd Friday

By Net Income
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sport

The game was still more than 24 hours away during Thursday's practice at the PNY Center, but Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Kidd were already anticipating a lot of noise at Barclays, where the Nets won 15 straight this year. KG wants it to be personal, with Raptor GM Masai Ujiri the target.

"I’m very eager to see how [the fans] respond to ‘F-Brooklyn,’" said Garnett, who will make his home playoff debut with the Nets. "I’m very eager to see how they respond to [Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri] sitting in our arena. ... We’ll see.

"I’ve never had a series in Brooklyn before," Garnett said "I never said ‘F-Brooklyn’ before, so we’re about to see what it’s like."

Pierce was less specific but just as enthusiastic. "I expect it to be a nice, ruckus, rowdy crowd, that’s what a lot of playoff crowds are about, they’re hungry for it," said Pierce who's played in 138 playoff games.

None of the Nets players or coaches have yet to refer to Ujiri by name. Kidd claimed he didn't know who the name of the Raptor GM On Thursday,  Garnett referred to him as "this kid." Pierce and Jason Collins have called him Bryan Colangelo, the man Ujiri replaced last summer.

Meanwhile, plans for the return of playoff basketball to Brooklyn started getting spun out. The Nets have been silent about what celebrities --other than a famous Russian oligarch-- will be in the crowd.  Brett Yormark, who's been noting the Nets are on the only playoff game in town, encouraged fans to bring it Friday.

"We are expecting our fans to bring their passion and their Brooklyn Chant like never before," said the Brooklyn Nets CEO.  "This series is sparking a great amount of conversation on social media and throughout the borough.

Yormark announced Thursday that Michael K. Williams of "The Wire" and "Boardwalk Empire" will introduce the starting lineup Friday and the "NetSational Seniors" dance team will make their Brooklyn debut.

Meanwhile, Jason Kidd was having none of it regarding arguments, including that of our own Reed Wallach, for KG to get more minutes.

"His minutes are going to be around the same they’ve been all season," Kidd said. "We’ve got quite a few guys at the five [Mason Plumlee and Andray Blatche]. Again, he feels good, so the minutes could go up slightly, but not to where you guys would like to see."

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