Nets-Knicks Rivalry Heats Up [VIDEO]; Deron Williams Defends Paul Pierce, Wants "Nets To Run New York"

Brooklyn Nets franchise player Deron Williams has joined the trash talking involving Nets and Knicks players regarding basketball supremacy in the Big Apple as the start of the NBA training camp inches closer.

Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com reports that the star guard has said that the Nets "want to run New York" after he was asked about his new teammate Paul Pierce's statement that the Nets will eventually own New York.

Begley quoted Williams as saying that "the Knicks are our rival. I don't get into too much of the talking. We'll decide all that on the court."

Several players from the two New York-based basketball teams have been engaging in trash talking in recent months ever since Pierce, the former Boston Celtics star, said that its time for the Brooklyn Nets to start running the city.

SI.com reports that the quote made by Pierce in August did not go unnoticed, as New York Knicks mainstays J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton fired back at the new Net. Smith, the fiery sixth man of the Knicks, even taunted Pierce and called him 'bitter.'

The battle for basketball supremacy in hoops-crazy New York has become more intense with the revamp made by the Nets following their first-round loss against the Derrick Rose-less Chicago Bulls in the recent playoffs. After firing interim head coach PJ Carlesimo, the Nets hired the recently-retired Jason Kidd, who guided them to two NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003. Aside from Pierce, the team also added former champs Kevin Garnett, Jason Terry and veteran Andrei Kirilenko.

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