NBA

Walsh: Knicks-Nets rivalry will flourish

Donnie Walsh, the Indiana Pacers’ president of basketball operations, grew up in The Bronx, lived in Brooklyn and worked in Manhattan, specifically at Madison Square Garden.

So with a magnificent resumé that includes a rich city history, Walsh, described as “basketball royalty” by Dallas coach Rick Carlisle, admits he is fascinated by the brewing rivalry between Manhattan’s Knicks and Brooklyn’s Nets.

“I think it’s going to be an unbelievable rivalry,” Walsh said. “The Knicks still will have their fans but the Nets now have an entire borough. And Manhattan and Brooklyn have always been rivals.”

Walsh likened the appeal he expects the new Nets to draw to the love Brooklyn once showered on the Dodgers. There always will be Knicks fans. With the Knicks making the playoffs two years running plus the Nets re-making themselves in the offseason, the dogs-and-cats relationship will flourish. That’s the difference from the past. Except for a few seasons, when the Knicks were good, the Nets stunk. When the Nets thrived with Jason Kidd, the Knicks struggled.

“Even when New Jersey was really good, the rivalry wasn’t there,” Walsh said. “This is fantastic for the city, great for Brooklyn. Knick fans are loyal but there are enough people in Brooklyn to support a second team.”

A second good team.

“I think Brooklyn is going to be a great franchise,” said Walsh. “They have solid ownership. They have a great backcourt in Joe Johnson and Deron Williams. [Gerald] Wallace is a top tier player, he goes to the boards, defends, can score. Kris Humphries is a capable rebounder who can stretch the floor with his shot. And I like [Brook] Lopez.”

Coming off a season destroyed by foot injuries, Lopez is often overlooked by some. He’s a 17.4-point career scorer, 7.5 rebounder. But he gets ripped. Not enough rebounds. Not tough enough. Always, it seems, there are complaints.

“Not from me,” Walsh laughed. “He’s got talent. He can score. We couldn’t stop him [with the Knicks] no matter who we put on him.”

But again, it takes two good teams for a rivalry. And the Knicks, with a front line of Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler, qualify as good.

“I like the Knicks’ roster,” said Walsh, the team president from April 2008 until June 2011. “Glen [Grunwald] has really done a good job. Getting Chandler was a great move. And I don’t buy any of that ‘Carmelo and Amar’e can’t play together’ talk. They’re two terrific players. All you do is, ‘Hey, two good players. Play together.’ They will.”

Which all points to a great rivalry for New York.