Editing Brooklyn Nets (section)

==Rivalries==

===Boston Celtics===
During the early 2000s, the Nets were led by [[Jason Kidd]] and [[Kenyon Martin]], while the [[Boston Celtics]] were experiencing newfound success behind Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. The rivalry began to heat up in the conference finals of the [[2002 NBA playoffs|2002 playoffs]], which was preceded by [[trash talk]]ing from the Celtics,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2002-05-20/sports/18200319_1_antoine-walker-kenyon-martin-paul-pierce | location=New York | work=Daily News | title=Celtics Talk A Good Game&nbsp;– New York Daily News | first1=Ohm | last1=Youngmisuk | first2=Darren | last2=Everson | date=May 20, 2002 | access-date=April 13, 2011 | archive-date=March 8, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308073957/http://articles.nydailynews.com/2002-05-20/sports/18200319_1_antoine-walker-kenyon-martin-paul-pierce | url-status=dead}}</ref> who claimed Martin was a "fake" tough guy. Things progressed as the series started, and on-court tensions seemed to spill into the stands. Celtic fans berated Kidd and his family with chants of ''"Wife Beater!"''<ref>{{cite web |author=Steve WilsteinAP Sports Writer |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/053102/spo_jasonkidd.shtml |title=Celtics fans' taunts hurt Jason Kidd's wife &#124; Amarillo.com &#124; Amarillo Globe-News |publisher=Amarillo.com |date=May 31, 2002 |access-date=October 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019040927/http://amarillo.com/stories/053102/spo_jasonkidd.shtml |archive-date=October 19, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> in response to Kidd's 2001 domestic abuse charge. When the series returned to New Jersey, Nets fans responded, with some brandishing signs that read "Will someone please stab Paul Pierce?"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2002/05/31/spt_nets_celtics_heating.html |title=Nets, Celtics heating it up |publisher=Enquirer.com |date=May 31, 2002 |access-date=October 16, 2013 |archive-date=October 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017200834/https://www.cincinnati.com/ |url-status=live}}</ref> referring to a night club incident in 2000 in which Pierce was stabbed 11 times. When asked about the fan barbs being traded, [[Kenyon Martin]] stated, "Our fans hate them, their fans hate us." [[Bill Walton]] said at the time that Nets–Celtics was the "beginning of the next great NBA rivalry" during the conference finals. Led by Kidd, the Nets advanced to the [[2002 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]], and the following year, swept Boston in the [[2003 NBA playoffs|2003 playoffs]].

On November 28, 2012, there were indications that the rivalry might be rekindled when an altercation occurred on the court, resulting in the ejection of [[Rajon Rondo]], [[Gerald Wallace]], and [[Kris Humphries]]. Rondo was suspended for two games in the aftermath, while Wallace and [[Kevin Garnett]] were fined.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/30/sports/basketball/celtics-rajon-rondo-suspended-2-games-for-melee.html?_r=0 | work=The New York Times | title=Suspension and 2 Fines After Brawl | first1=May | last1=Peter | date=November 30, 2012 | access-date=February 6, 2017 | archive-date=November 8, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108035905/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/30/sports/basketball/celtics-rajon-rondo-suspended-2-games-for-melee.html?_r=0 | url-status=live}}</ref> The story was revisited on December 25, when Wallace grabbed Garnett's shorts and the two had to be broken up by referees and players alike.

In the 2019 NBA off-season, the Nets signed point guard [[Kyrie Irving]]. Coming off two seasons with the Celtics, Irving was described as selfish by many critics. This impression caused many Celtics fans to blame him for the Celtics' inability to get through to the playoffs.

During a regular season game in the 2019–20 season between the Celtics and Nets, the Celtics' fans displayed their displeasure with Irving by chanting "Kyrie sucks" in [[TD Garden]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Brian |title=Even injured and absent, Kyrie Irving isn't welcome in Boston |url=https://nypost.com/2019/11/27/even-injured-and-absent-kyrie-irving-isnt-welcome-in-boston/ |website=New York Post |access-date=December 11, 2019 |date=November 27, 2019 |archive-date=December 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207005725/https://nypost.com/2019/11/27/even-injured-and-absent-kyrie-irving-isnt-welcome-in-boston/ |url-status=live}}</ref> When the series returned to Brooklyn two days later, the Nets' fans chanted "Kyrie's better" in response to the chants in Boston.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nets fans clap back with 'Kyrie's better' chant with Kemba Walker at line |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/nets-fans-clap-back-kyries-better-chant-kemba-walker-line |website=NBC Sports Boston |access-date=December 11, 2019 |date=November 29, 2019 |archive-date=December 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211010840/https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/nets-fans-clap-back-kyries-better-chant-kemba-walker-line |url-status=live}}</ref> The "Kyrie's Better" chants reference to how the Celtics signed [[Kemba Walker]] after Irving left for the Nets.

On May 30, 2021, after Kyrie Irving stomped on the Celtics center-court logo, a fan threw a [[water bottle]] at Irving at TD Garden following a Nets victory and a 3–1 lead in the series.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Andrews|first1=Malika|last2=Bontemps|first2=Tim|title=Boston Celtics fan arrested after allegedly throwing water bottle at Kyrie Irving|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31540143/boston-celtics-fan-appears-throw-water-bottle-brooklyn-nets-kyrie-irving|website=ESPN.com|access-date=June 1, 2021|date=May 27, 2021|archive-date=March 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327092130/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31540143/boston-celtics-fan-appears-throw-water-bottle-brooklyn-nets-kyrie-irving|url-status=live}}</ref>

===New York Knicks===
{{Main|Knicks–Nets rivalry}}
The Knicks–Nets rivalry has historically been a geographical one, with the Knicks playing in [[Madison Square Garden]] in the New York City borough of [[Manhattan]], while the Nets played in the suburban area of [[Long Island]] and in [[New Jersey]], and since 2012 have been playing at [[Barclays Center]] in [[Brooklyn]]. Media outlets have noted the Knicks–Nets rivalry's similarity to those of other New York City teams, such as the [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) historical [[Subway Series]] rivalry and the current [[Mets–Yankees rivalry|rivalry]] between the [[American League]] (AL)'s [[New York Yankees]] and the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL)'s [[New York Mets]], and the [[National Football League]] (NFL) [[Giants–Jets rivalry|rivalry]] between the [[National Football Conference]] (NFC)'s [[New York Giants]] and the [[American Football Conference]] (AFC)'s [[New York Jets]], the result of the boroughs' proximity through the [[New York City subway]]. Historically, the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn competed via the [[Dodgers–Giants rivalry]], when the two teams were the [[History of the Brooklyn Dodgers|Brooklyn Dodgers]] and the [[History of the New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]]. Like the Knicks and Nets, the Giants and Dodgers played in Manhattan and Brooklyn, respectively, and were fierce intraleague rivals.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/26/sports/basketball/knicks-nets-will-turn-into-a-rivalry-to-join-new-yorks-rich-past.html?_r=0 | work=The New York Times | title=A Rivalry to Add to the City's Rich History | first=George | last=Vecsey | date=November 25, 2012 | access-date=February 6, 2017 | archive-date=October 21, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021220153/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/26/sports/basketball/knicks-nets-will-turn-into-a-rivalry-to-join-new-yorks-rich-past.html?_r=0 | url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Islanders–Rangers rivalry|rivalry]] between the [[New York Islanders]] and [[New York Rangers]] of the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) took on a similar dimension while the Islanders inhabited the Barclays Center, from 2015 to 2021.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://fort-greene.thelocal.nytimes.com/2012/10/31/islanders-fans-react-to-barclays-center-move/ | work=The New York Times | title=Islanders Fans React to Barclays Center Move | first=Chris | last=Dell | date=October 31, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104113253/http://fort-greene.thelocal.nytimes.com/2012/10/31/islanders-fans-react-to-barclays-center-move/ | archive-date=January 4, 2013}}</ref> Due to the Knicks being located in Manhattan and the Nets being located in Brooklyn, some media outlets have dubbed this rivalry "Clash of the Boroughs".<ref name="rivalry begins" /><ref name="clashofboros">{{cite web|title=Clash of the Boroughs Resounds in Brooklyn|url=http://www.nba.com/nets/viewfromcouch/clash-boroughs-resounds-brooklyn|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129160633/http://www.nba.com/nets/viewfromcouch/clash-boroughs-resounds-brooklyn|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 29, 2013|website=BrooklynNets.com|access-date=November 26, 2012}}</ref>

===Toronto Raptors===
{{Main|Nets–Raptors rivalry}}
The rivalry with the [[Toronto Raptors]] began in the 2000s, specifically in 2004, after Raptors guard/forward [[Vince Carter]] was traded to the New Jersey Nets.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rausch|first=William|title=A Brief History Of The Nets-Raptors Rivalry|url=http://thebrooklyngame.com/brooklyn-nets-toronto-raptors-rivalry-history/|publisher=The Brooklyn Game|date=April 18, 2014|access-date=July 3, 2015|archive-date=July 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704053527/http://thebrooklyngame.com/brooklyn-nets-toronto-raptors-rivalry-history/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Carter acquired">{{cite web|title=Raptors receive three players and two picks|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=1948449|website=[[ESPN|ESPN.com]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=June 20, 2014|location=Indianapolis|date=December 18, 2004|archive-date=October 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006233036/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1948449|url-status=live}}</ref> However, the two teams did not meet in the playoffs until [[2007 NBA playoffs|2007]], when the Nets defeated the Raptors in the first round series, 4 games to 2, after a go-ahead shot by [[Richard Jefferson]] with 8 seconds left in Game 6 led to a 98–97 victory.<ref name="Game 6 win vs Raptors 2007">{{cite web|title=Jefferson's late basket sends Nets to second round|url=http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270504017|website=[[ESPN|ESPN.com]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=June 20, 2014|archive-date=August 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808151827/http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270504017|url-status=dead}}</ref> In [[2014 NBA playoffs|2014]], the teams met again in the first round, and the series went to seven games, with a game-winning block by [[Paul Pierce]], giving the Nets the 104–103 victory.<ref name="Game 7 victory vs Raptors 2014">{{cite web|title=Paul Pierce's block leads Nets past Raptors in Game 7|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400553094|website=[[ESPN|ESPN.com]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=June 20, 2014|archive-date=July 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707081226/http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400553094|url-status=live}}</ref> The series was noted for controversy when Toronto Raptors general manager [[Masai Ujiri]] made derogatory remarks towards Brooklyn at a fan rally outside [[Maple Leaf Square]] in [[Toronto]] before Game 1. Ujiri later apologized at halftime.<ref>{{cite web|author=Slam Staff|title=Raptors GM Masai Ujiri Shouts 'F*** Brooklyn' at Fan Rally (Video)|url=http://www.slamonline.com/media/slam-tv/masai-ujiri-shouts-fuck-brooklyn-video/|work=[[SLAM Magazine]]|date=April 19, 2014|access-date=July 3, 2015|archive-date=July 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703045051/http://www.slamonline.com/media/slam-tv/masai-ujiri-shouts-fuck-brooklyn-video/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Raptors and Nets faced each other in the [[2020 NBA playoffs]] in the first round, with Toronto winning the series four games to none.<ref>{{cite web |title=Raptors overwhelm Nets 150-122 to finish first-round sweep |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401236264 |website=ESPN.com |access-date=November 30, 2020 |date=August 23, 2020 |archive-date=August 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824100851/https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401236264 |url-status=dead}}</ref>