Having thought about it, here is where I am at ~
I don't want the Knicks to do badly. So, I'll pull for them to a point. I've watched a few of their games this year and the team they have deserved some respect (I hit more or less the same stance in the 80s with the hated Celtics when I moved to New England). However, I never-ever want them to actually go farther or do better than the Nets. If the Nets win 75, I'll be happy if the Knicks win 74. If the Nets win it all, I am all for it being against the Knicks in the Eastern finals.
I reach this conclusion by mixing this new (strange!) feeling of respect with good memories of watching the Knicks in the Old Madison Square Garden (they played the Lakers and one of West and Baylor was out but for the life of me, I cannot recall which), watching Earl Monroe score 15 straight points for either team vs the Bullets in the New Garden to overcome a 13 point deficit, getting served beer for the 1st time in the Garden (they'd give it to anyone then), posters on the wall of Reed and Bradley and Frazier next to those of Rick Barry and Doctor J, and on and on.
However, I still hold a grudge against all those idiots that I met along the way that said the ABA sucked, that the Knicks in losing their first playoff round did better than the Buck Williams led Nets who beat the defending champ Sixers (!), that Ewing was all that, that Bernard King was lousy (until he played for you-know-who), etc. I.e. I hate(d) the pompousness
So, that's where I stand and I'm proud of myself for this closure without attending a single therapy session!
![Wink ;-)](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Les Selvage pioneered today's "modern basketball" in 1967.