Nets-Knicks rivalry

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The original name of the Nets was supposed to the New York Frieghters but from pressure from the Knicks they became the New Jersey Americans. This wouldn't be the last time the Knicks would affect the franchise. Two years after the New Jersey Americans became the New York Nets to rhyme with the Mets and the Jets. When the ABA and the NBA merged they made a deal that four teams would move to the NBA. They were the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and the New York Nets. When the Nets got to the NBA the Knicks forced them to pay $4.8 million for "invading" the Knicks territory. Since the Nets already paid $3 million for moving to the NBA and they promised their star player Julius Erving a pay raise and they were short of cash he refused to play so they traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers. After that the Nets moved to New Jersey and without Erving the team had the worst record in the league. So they have had a bitter rivalry since the beginning of the Nets franchise only separated by the Hudson River.

The Nets and Knicks would end up facing each other in the first round of the 2004 NBA Playoffs, seeing the Nets dominate in the best four-out of-seven series. The Nets swept the Knicks, 4 games to none.

Due to the success of the Nets in recent years, and sub-par play from the Knicks, the rivalry has lost some intensity, but is still popular among fans. The Nets, who play at Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and the Knicks, who play at Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan play only 12 minutes apart. Both teams' arenas are accessible via NJ State Route 3 and the Lincoln Tunnel. Due to the close and accessible proximity between both arenas, many Knicks fans arrive in large numbers when their team plays in New Jersey, yet it is vice-versa for Nets fans, who make the trip into the city to watch their Nets.

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