The Brooklyn Nets took care of business vs. the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. They now sit in 8th place and control their destiny. If Brooklyn win their next three games, they'll lock up the 7th seed. That means your 2022 Nets would host a Play-In game, win and you're in the playoffs, as a 7th seed. Not bad, considering a few weeks ago we wondered if that game might be in Toronto where Kyrie Irving couldn't even play.

After Irving's 42 point game, his fourth of the season, helped spark a key 118-105 win, the Nets players looked ahead to the next game vs. RJ Barrett and the New York Knicks.

“Ah man, you trying to make me go viral over here,” Irving laughed when asked what he expected from the Garden atmosphere. Remember when he was asked what to expect from their game vs. the Sixers, which was Ben Simmons return to Philly game. Irving had said “lovely,” and has since admitted his wife told him to find a new word. She apparently didn't like that one.

“You know how that series goes between us and New York Knicks,” Irving said with a big smile. “And it's been that way since I've been a fan of the Nets since I was a kid. So it's gonna be action-packed. I told you my wife doesn't want me using ‘lovely' anymore but it'll be an exciting environment where you know what to expect. It's the Mecca. And what better way to close out your season, the final few games playing in one of the most historic arenas in the world,” Irving said, opting for the company line players always say to praise MSG rather than spark more inter-borough sparing.

It's more Kevin Durant's cup of tea to take a little jab at the Knicks. Remember when he joked the Nets had a “big 15” last season, making fun of the 2021 Knicks rallying cry? Or when he teased Stefan Bondy for abandoning the Knicks beat to hop on the Nets down in Miami? Bondy quipped that the Knicks were no longer relevant so yeah, he was now covering Brooklyn.

Irving on the other hand, went with the very safe Mecca line.

Bruce Brown wasn't playing it safe. He issued a blunt warning to Knicks fans.

“It's gonna be big, it's always a close game when we play them,” the Nets guard said. “So hopefully we can blow them out tomorrow. It's gonna be the first game they play with both Kai, and KD so I know they're gonna be super excited. The energy is gonna be there, the juices are gonna be there so we just gotta execute and win the game,” Brown said. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has come under some fire this year. Knicks fans have been beside themselves at times for not giving more minutes to the team's young core. They don't understand why he's still grinding so many minutes out of veterans in a lost year and it's a fair frustration.

Brown drained all three of his triples vs. Houston. He finished with 15 points, three blocks, three triplrd, three assists, and three rebounds. Mr. Swiss Army was all over the place for the Nets, and the recipient of this highlight dime by Irving:

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Minnesota Timberwolves players Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards and Phoenix Suns player Kevin Durant

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Brown was asked how the Garden crowd might receive his superstar teammate's Garden debut as Nets.

“I don't think they wanna say too many bad things cause there'll be two 50 balls tomorrow if they try talking,” Brown said. He chuckled, but knowing who he was talking about, it was clear it wasn't 100 percent a joke. Durant dropped 53 the last time the team faced the Knicks. KD even told Evan Fournier he was too small to guard him in the process. Irving put up 60 down in Orlando not long ago.

The energy will be there, the history is there. Nets fans should enjoy the fact the Knicks aren't really tanking. It will give the Nets more reason to hone their skills and rehearse for a playoff atmosphere, which the Garden often provides, even though the Knicks talent isn't quite up to that level yet. But that's good too, 'cause at this point, the Nets would rather have some easy matchups and lock up that 7th seed.

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