Metta World Peace On Nets: 'I Don't Even Know Who's On Their Team'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Nets or the Knicks: which team is better?
It's been an ongoing debate throughout the offseason, as the battle for basketball supremacy in New York City has gained significant steam in recent months.
Oh, and there's a catch: Neither team has played a game yet.
But with the Knicks coming off a division title and the Nets having beefed up their roster, the rivalry is stronger than ever.
Metta World Peace, who signed a two-year contract with New York on July 16, didn't come right out and say that the Knicks are better than the Nets. He did, however, slight Brooklyn by failing to recognize the additions of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to a team that already has Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson.
"Honestly, I don't even know who's on their team," the forward told reporters on Wednesday. "I'm not going to lie. I'm just happy to be a Knick. That's it."
Pierce has been pounding his chest during the offseason about how the Nets are going to win the hearts of New Yorkers.
But World Peace told reporters that he has no desire to respond to Pierce. He's just trying to enjoy New York and revel in being back in his hometown.
"I just want apple pie, I don't feel like talking," World Peace said. "I want to go to Whole Foods, enjoy my Whole Foods and play with my teammates. I don't have the energy to go back and forth with words because there's just too many great things happening in New York City for me to be going back and forth."
In August, Knicks point guard Raymond Felton declared that the Nets will never be New York's team.
"They will never take over the city," Felton said. "Because we've got 'New York' on our chest. They've got 'Brooklyn' on their chest, and we've got 'New York.' They'll never take over the city. (Pierce) saying that is just him talking. At the end of the day, it's all about rivalries. We understand that -- he knows that, I know that. He's just trying to fuel it."
On another note, the 33-year-old believes that his former team, the Lakers, will represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.
"I think the Lakers are going to go to the NBA Finals," World Peace said. "I think Kobe (Bryant's) gonna be healthy, they're gonna get Pau (Gasol). The Lakers are gonna make a big trade like they always do. They're gonna get another good player, boom, boom, and they're gonna go to the Finals. I believe it. Kobe's gonna come back, he's gonna play team ball, and Pau's gonna play well."
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