One of the developing storylines this summer in the NBA is the rivalry between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks. The interesting thing? While J.R. Smith is doing the talking for Knicks, the two players trash talking the most on behalf of the Nets haven’t even played for the team: Jason Terry and Paul Pierce.
Pierce has been in Boston for his entire career, so when he talks about hating the Knicks, we know there’s a place in him it’s coming from. It’s not just talk. But Terry? He’s played for Atlanta, Dallas and now only one season apart from his disappointing debut campaign with the Celtics.
J.R. Smith talked about winning a championship last we heard from him. Terry responded that the only title the Knicks or Smith are going to win has to do with Ruckers Park.
Some players, like Terry, never cease to talk. It’s part of their M.O., and how they get themselves pumped up for games or the new season. The problem? While Terry is an NBA champion, he’s no longer anywhere near the ability he displayed when the Mavs beat the Heat in the NBA finals.
Terry averaged 10.1 points per game last season for the Celtics, and will now be part of an old yet deep squad the Nets are presenting in order to win the NBA title while paying an insane amount of tax. He’s also put a bullseye on his back for one of the best dunkers in the NBA to target.
J.R. Smith might be known for being a reckless shooter above everything else, but few have the collection of impressive and sometimes humiliating dunks he has performed. Jason Terry had a taste of that humiliation last season when LeBron James alley-ooped him into the ground before giving him a long stare that rewarded James with a technical foul. Something tells me Smith is going to look for something similar this season.
There was also this moment between them in last season’s playoff. Smith elbowed Terry in the face, obviously on purpose, which sent Terry into a frenzy, trying to reach Smith in retaliation. We’ll probably see an even more heated version of this rivalry this season at some point or another.