Under the freshly-operating stage lighting of the Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets partook in something the borough’s people have desperately awaited — a professional sporting event for the first time since 1957.
It was a night in which point guard Deron Williams said he might cry (though he didn’t as far as I could tell) and fans flocked to the arena in swarms that amassed a near sell-out — 14,219 in attendance which is about 4,000 short of full capacity (h/t Stefan Bondy) — more impressive than anything the franchise had done in New Jersey in recent history. And it was only a preseason game.
The Nets’ contest on Monday was their first at the Barclays Center and culminated in a fitting 98-88 victory over the Washington Wizards.
Center Brook Lopez led the way with 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, while forward Andray Blatche made his presence known in his debut with 16 points and eight rebounds of his own in 23 minutes off the bench.
It wasn’t all pretty for Brooklyn with shaky defensive play highlighting a first half that saw them fall behind the Wizards. But they remedied their troubles and dominated the team from D.C. in the second half, pulling away in the fourth quarter under Williams’ guidance to the echoes of “Brook-lyn” chants throughout the Barclays Center.
The fans were lively throughout the night, serenading their team in a way it was not accustomed to during their time at the Prudential Center in Newark. Quite simply, the Nets were home.
“It’s great, man,” Williams told ESPN.com. “I think this atmosphere is going to be great come November first [against the New York Knicks], and hopefully for the rest of the season — especially if we’re taking care of business at home like we hope to be. We hope to have a great crowd that’s going to provide us with a great home-court advantage.”
The night ended just as well as it had begun, with the fans on their feet cheering their black-and-white-clad Nets as the franchise collected its first win in Brooklyn. The Nets and their fans hope this win will mark the first of many on that herringbone court they now call their home.
Louis Musto is a contributor for the Sports Journey Broadcasting Network covering the NFL and NBA. You can follow him on Twitter @LouisMusto.