The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets are both poised for a deep run in the Eastern Conference playoffs next season. The Knicks added Andrea Bargnani to a team that already advanced to the second round of the playoffs last year and the Nets have added a group of veterans to their core of young talent. However, JR Smith has made it clear that he does not believe Brooklyn will be in contention.
Over the weekend, Smith guaranteed that the Knicks will win a title in 2014, while giving the following explanation when asked why he signed with New York instead of the Nets in February 2012.
“The Nets weren’t good,” Smith told Marc Berman of the NY Post. “Now they’re still not good.”
Later that day, Nets forward Reggie Evans caught wind of Smith’s quote on Twitter and had a very simple response (via ESPNNewYork.com):
@NBARUMORS lol
— ReggieEvans30 (@ReggieEvans30) September 1, 2013
Assuming all goes to plan for both franchises, it can only get more entertaining from here. The Nets certainly have the experience to make a title run with Paul Piece, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry now in the mix, but you have to wonder if they are too old. And the Knicks, well, they’ve still been the Knicks since trading for Carmelo Anthony. Smith really has no right to talk, but that’s what makes all of this so fun.
