How the Brooklyn Nets Can Get Even With the New York Knicks

A last-second shot at Madison Square Garden made the Brooklyn Nets losers of two straight, but revenge could be on the horizon.

The New York Knicks won round one. All the offseason chatter between the Empire State rivals came to a head last night, and Brooklyn found itself on the losing end. Thankfully, round two is tomorrow.

Again, at the World’s Most Famous Arena, the Nets take on the Knicks in the second of four meetings in the 2024-25 campaign. Brooklyn nearly stole the first matchup, and here’s how they can complete the robbery just two days later.

1. Swing the ball. Cam Thomas surpassed his previous performance against New York, topping a 41-point total back in April with a 43-point explosion Friday night. The effort didn’t translate to a win but was impressive nonetheless. Offensive efficiency is key, and the Nets must be more balanced going forward.

2. Clever rotations. Karl-Anthony Towns was questionable ahead of tipoff and ultimately sat out. If he plays in the rematch, Dorian Finney-Smith will not alone be able to slow down the four-time All-Star. Jordi Fernandez must get creative with his assignments if Brooklyn hopes to contain Towns.

3. Depth contribution. The Nets didn’t receive a double-digit-point output from a single reserve in the loss. Ziaire Williams, Jalen Wilson and Noah Clowney are more than capable of high volume. One of the three needs to establish themselves as a true supporting option outside of the starting five.

The turnaround is quick, but Brooklyn has changes to make if it hopes to avenge the narrow loss.

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