NBA assessing Knicks-Nets opener in Brooklyn after Sandy
Jason Kidd of the Knicks, left, defends against Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Johnson during the first half of a preseason game. (Oct. 24, 2012) Credit: AP
The NBA had not determined whether the Brooklyn Nets will open their season as scheduled Nov. 1 at Barclays Center against the New York Knicks, spokesman Tim Frank said in an e-mail.
New York is recovering from the effects of Hurricane Sandy, which caused flooding and blackouts in the metropolitan area.
More than 750,000 city residents are still without power as a result of the storm, which claimed the lives of at least 10 people in the area, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said today in a press conference.
The NBA's three-game opening night will proceed today as scheduled, according to Frank. He said there was no timetable for decisions to be made regarding games later this week.
The Nets are scheduled to host the Knicks at 7 p.m. Eastern time on Nov. 1, the first regular-season NBA game in the new $1 billion Barclays Center, which seats 18,000 fans for basketball. The arena is next to Brooklyn's main transportation hub, which includes stops for 11 subway lines and the Long Island Rail Road, none of which are currently running because of the storm.
A Nets spokesman said the decision to postpone the game rests with the league, not the team.
Tonight's NBA games include the Boston Celtics traveling to play the defending champion Miami Heat, a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference finals, which went the full seven games. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Washington Wizards and the Los Angeles Lakers host the Dallas Mavericks.
New York City subways and bus lines have been shut down since 7 p.m. on Oct. 28. There is no timeline for the resumption of bus or subway service, Bloomberg said today, after flooding on tracks around the city, including in the subway tunnels under the East River.
