Does New York City still belong to the New York Knicks? Based on the first half of this season’s events, the Brooklyn Nets are the better team entering Friday’s game between the two five-boroughs squads.
Despite Caris LeVert‘s season-altering injury, the Nets have played superiorly over the past three months. At 26-23, they sit sixth in the Eastern Conference, winners of their last five games and eight of their last 10.
D’Angelo Russell has broken out as the team’s star, averaging 24.8 points, 7.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 49.8 percent shooting and 42.7 percent on three-pointers over the past 12 games.