NBA

NBA looks forward to Knicks-Nets rivalry

ORLANDO, Fla. — OK, maybe it won’t be Yankees-Red Sox. But NBA commissioner David Stern sees a legitimate rivalry blooming between the Knicks and Nets when New Jersey makes its move to Brooklyn next season.

“We are very happy for Bruce Ratner and Mikhail Prokhorov that this building is going to be on time and opening,” Stern said of the Nets’ Barclays Center. “It is great for Brooklyn. It is great for the Knicks. We are going to have a spectacular rivalry and it’s going to be great for the fans of New York City and the NBA to have that kind of a rivalry and that kind of a new building.

“It is great for the New York area, also great for the NBA and the fans of the NBA.”

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Deron Williams of the Nets failed to break his 25.5-second Skills Challenge record set in 2008 and, unable to hit a timely jumper in true Nets tradition, lost in the second round of the event last night. Williams had advanced with the night’s best time, 28.3 seconds, in the first round. Tony Parker of the Spurs won the event.

“I’m a little upset right now,” Williams said. “It’s a 15-foot jumper, I can hit that all day. It’s always something that costs you. … This might be my last go-round. I got the record. Until somebody beats it, then I might come back.”

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The Nets’ Anthony Morrow gained a lot of notoriety for wearing a retro Drazen Petrovic jersey to honor the late Nets star, but lost in his first attempt at the 3-point contest — which was captured by the Timberwolves’ Kevin Love.

“I got tired,” said Morrow, who failed to get off the last ball in time. “By the second to last rack I felt it. It was my first one. Hopefully, I’ll be back.”

Jeremy Evans of the Jazz won the Slam Dunk Contest, thanks to dunking two balls while jumping over teammate Gordon Hayward, who was sitting in a chair.

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Stern proclaimed what has been assumed, saying he would recommend deputy commissioner Adam Silver to succeed him when the time comes. Stern reiterated he won’t be around for the next CBA negotiation in 2017.

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Former Knick Allan Houston, general manager of the Erie Bayhawks — Jeremy Lin’s former club — sank two halfcourt shots as New York won the Shooting Stars Competition, beating Orlando, Texas and Atlanta. Houston teamed with Landry Fields and Cappie Pondexter of the Liberty.

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It doesn’t seem all that long ago, but it has been 14 years since Kobe Bryant played in his first All-Star Game. And that game at Madison Square Garden remains Kobe’s most cherished All-Star memory.

“The best memory has always been my first All-Star weekend, playing against as I call them, ‘The Golden Greats,’ Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, John Stockton and those guys,” Bryant, a four-time All-Star MVP, said of the 1998 game. “That was when Kevin [Garnett] and I were running around like the young pups and Michael and Clyde were kind of sitting back, watching us run around. I was very fortunate to have my first All-Star Game in New York City. I’ve always loved playing there.”

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Clipper Chris Paul on teammate Kenyon Martin, the ex-Net: “K-Mart has a brought a different type of intensity with his game. He’s intense when he wakes up.” … Not everyone is overly excited to make Dwight Howard the hometown hero MVP. “We’re not here to play buddy ball,” said Boston’s Rajon Rondo. … Howard was asked what he wants to see Orlando add in trades: “Next question.”

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East coach Tom Thibodeau of the Bulls, who lost to the Nets at home eight days ago, said the Nets could be troublesome in the second half.

“Right now, with New Jersey, they were decimated with injuries early, but they’re a hard-playing team. They’ve had some great wins and now they’ll get some guys back.”

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It was a big day for the Nets’ D-League affiliate Springfield Armor. Guard L.D. Williams, 6-foot-4, won the D-League dunk contest for the second year in a row using Vince Carter-inspired windmill dunks. “[Springfield’s] Jerry Smith, we talked about it a couple days ago. He said, ‘Man, you should just do all windmills.’ I was like, ‘That’s what I’m going to do.’ We saw that from VJamesOn Curryince Carter back when he did it,”Williams said. … Armor guard scored 25 points and point guard Smith had 14 in the East’s 135-132 loss to the West.

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Stupid question of the day: Carmelo Anthony was asked what teammate’s couch he’d sleep on.

“Amar’e Stoudemire has big furniture,” he said. “I’d be comfortable sleeping on one of his couches.”

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Landry Fields on being unable to help make Jeremy Lin the MVP in the Rising Stars Challenge (Lin had two points, a reverse layup, in nine minutes). “I guess the magic has run out.”