NEW YORK (AP) ― The chant was 55 years in the making, delayed a couple days by disaster, and delivered by a sold-out crowd that wasn’t missing this party no matter what it took to get there.
“Brook-lyn! Brook-lyn!”
Those were the lyrics of a rocking return to major pro sports.
“That gave me jitters, man. Chills,” guard Joe Johnson said. “I know that these fans want the best for this team. All they want from us is to work hard and give them a show.”
Brook Lopez scored 27 points, Deron Williams added 19 points and nine assists, and the Nets beat the Toronto Raptors 107-100 on Saturday night in the first game at Barclays Center.
A crowd of 17,732 that included entertainers Jay-Z, a part-owner, and wife Beyonce chanted the borough’s name a few times during the game and loudly at the end, celebrating the name on the front of the shirt much more than the back.
And with good reason. Brooklyn hasn’t had a team to cheer since the Dodgers left for Los Angeles in 1957.
Nets coach Avery Johnson said there was so much that was special about the game, which came two nights after their scheduled opener that was postponed because travel around the city was wrecked by Sandy.
Houston Rockets guard Jeremy Lin drives to the basket on Saturday. (Xinhua-Yonhap News)
“Let’s just start with the fact that we’re in Brooklyn now and it’s a big difference,” Johnson said. “You saw the crowd tonight, even under the circumstances. Not only did we have a sellout, they were into the game.”
C.J. Watson finished with 15 points and Joe Johnson had 14 for the Nets, who needed a home as badly as Brooklyn needs a team, and Avery Johnson said it’s close to a perfect match.
Boston 89, Washington 86
Indiana 106, Sacramento 98
Miami 119, Denver 116
New Orleans 89, Chicago 82
Portland 95, Houston 85
Milwaukee 105, Cleveland 102
Dallas 126, Charlotte 99
San Antonio 110, Utah 100
Golden State 114, LA Clippers 110
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
